One of These Days
by Unwritten Bliss
Summary: [AU]'One of these days, I won't be afraid of staying with you. I hope and I pray, waiting to find a way back to you...'Cause that's where I'm home.'[Zutara]
1. Prologue

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. There, I said it.

* * *

**Prologue:**

Summertime had flown by as if school had never ended. She was surprised that she didn't feel any remorse for starting her sophomore year at school too soon. Not that starting sophomore year was bad, she had a feeling it would be great! Moving up from freshman…yeah, it was great. Freshman year hadn't been the best for her. Subconsciously her tan hand lifted from the place on the wheel to her chest, rubbing where her heart was, and where the pain was.

Immediately a shrill voice reached her ears and she jumped, placing her hand on the wheel at ten and two, her eyes wide. "Katara, keep your hands on the wheel," the boy beside her shrilled, "And stay at the speed limit!"

Katara blinked and looked at her speed monitor. She blinked and glanced at her brother. "Sokka," she started, "I'm going forty in a forty-five speed limit."

Her brother was gripping the car seat with such force his tan knuckles were turning bleach white, his eyes wide and glued to the road. "Keep your eyes on the road!"

Katara was ready to stomp her foot on the left pedal and force her brother out of the car. "Well if you want to be a backseat driver, why don't you just drive!" she snapped angrily. She hadn't gotten her driver's license yet, turning sixteen in the winter, and her brother had been kind enough that morning to allow her to drive his silver jeep to school.

"Technically, Katara, he's not a backseat driver," said a perky voice from behind. Katara glanced back at the young teenager behind her and scowled slightly at his words, "Because I'm the one sitting in the back, and your brother is the one in the passenger's seat."

"Thank you, Aang!" Sokka said with a snort, his eyes dragged away from the road to look at the thirteen-year-old. Sokka looked at his sister now, his eyes narrowed, "See, Aang gets what I'm saying!"

Katara rolled her eyes. "He didn't say that, Sokka," she said angrily. Slowly she turned into her high school's parking lot. "Uhg, I forgot about this," she grumbled, "About never being able to find a parking spot."

Her brother rolled his eyes and looked out his window, searching. Finally he spotted one. He jumped up in his seat, slamming the top of his head against the roof of the car, and he pointed eagerly. "There, there, there!" He said. Katara saw it and nodded determinedly. That's when Sokka felt the pain in his head and he rubbed it, sitting back down, "Ow…" he grumbled.

Aang laughed and said in a sing-song voice, "Self-inflicted pain!", quoting what the fortuneteller had said when they had visited her earlier in the summer.

Katara narrowed her eyes as she reached the spot; she could do this. She slowly turned the wheel, nearing the slot. That's when suddenly a roaring was heard from in front of her and just as the tip of the jeep was nearing the slot, a motorcycle wheeled into the lot.

The smoke settled down around the bike, having been speeding to get the spot. When it settled, Katara and Sokka were on their wit's end. Sokka rolled down his window and leaned out, yelling at the top of his lungs, "You stupid idiot! What the hell were you thinking? Can't you see this spot is ours?"

A leg was pulled over the motorcycle, and a black helmet with flames painted on it was pulled off. The man's back was faced toward them, and he slowly shook out his hair, which was black and shaggy. "Hey, Idiot," Sokka called, "I'm talking to you!"

The head slowly turned, and Katara's eyes widened. Those eyes…they couldn't be normal. Golden eyes pierced through Sokka, and Sokka slowly slid back into the car with an 'eep'. A red-pink scar covered the left side of his face, over his scar, and his hair was indeed shagged over his eyes. He wore a leather jacket, and bellow that Katara could see a black shirt and he was wearing black pants with suspenders hanging off of them. Something was written on the black shirt, but she couldn't read it.

"Forget it," grumbled Sokka, "just find another place."

"What? No! This was Katara's!" Aang yelled angrily. He opened the car-door and breezily jumped out of it. He walked up to the young man and put on his meanest face.

"Aang!" Katara and Sokka said at the same time as Aang began to speak to the young man. The man's eyes narrowed at the child's words. Katara was freaking out by the time a hand was removed from the leather jacket's pockets.

Katara was out of the car before she knew what she was doing, and she could hear Sokka cry out while trying to step on the pedal that would stop the car from rolling into the man's motorcycle. _Whoops_, she thought, _should've put it into park_.

"Hey!" she snapped angrily. The man's hand was grasped around Aang's collar, and the boy had a look of utter disbelief written on his face. "Hey you!" Both boys turned to look at her, and she had her hands planted firmly on her hips. "What the hell?" she snapped.

She stomped up to the young man and pried his fingers from her friend's collar. Then she turned her face to him and glared at him, her blue eyes narrowed. "Who the hell do you think you are, grabbing my friend's collar like that?" she asked angrily, "And who the _hell_ do you think you are taking _my_ spot!" her voice was a near-yell.

His eyes narrowed as he looked at her. Her hair was pulled into a loose braid down her back, and two strands of her hair, falling from her forehead, were pinned back into the beginning of the braid. Her skin was a tan color, her hair the color of earth. And her eyes were a piercing blue. He immediately hated her. He leaned forward, growling in her face, and she stumbled back, surprised. He glared at her. "Is your name on this spot?" he asked, his voice deadly.

Katara's eyes had widened sufficiently from the point when he had leaned forward and growled. She had had no idea that a human could even growl to begin with! She shook her head. He nodded and sat back up, his full height. He towered over her, and she just realized that. He had to be at least eighteen! She gulped. _That means he's a senior_, she thought.

"No," Aang started, "but she was here before you!"

His head snapped toward the young boy and his eyes glared into him. Aang shuddered under his gaze. The golden eyes turned back to Katara, who was now fidgeting with her silver crop top. "Forget it," she grumbled and she looked away. "Have it, I didn't want it that badly anyways. I'm sure there's one over there, Aang. Get in the car."

When they got into the car, Sokka was placed in the driver's seat and he was beating his head against the wheel. "Stupid, stupid, stupid," he growled angrily.

"Yeah, I know," she said softly, "I am. Just go." Sokka glanced at his usually happy sister and shrugged.

"Fine." He started the car, pulled it into drive, and drove away to find another parking spot, leaving the man to stand by his motorcycle with a smirk on his face.

Maybe this new school wouldn't be bad after all.


	2. Chapter 1

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. There, I said it.

* * *

**Chapter 1:**

"Katara!"

"Suki!"

The two girls rushed to each other and hugged happily. "How was your summer break?" Katara asked as they pulled away. She held her friend at arm's length and studied her. "You aren't wearing that make-up anymore," she said and she grinned, "It's about damn time!" They laughed.

"My break was just fine, actually. How about yours?"

Katara shrugged. It had gone by for her. Suki nodded in understanding and that's when something caught her attention. Sokka cleared his throat casually. "Hey Sokka," Suki said, a small blush lighting her cheeks.

Sokka rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, "Hey Suki."

Katara blinked and rolled her eyes. "You guys are too literate for me, using such big words." Suki and Sokka blushed further, looking away from each other.

"Hey, Katara!" She turned to see a brown headed young man coming toward her, another young man trailing behind.

"Hey, Haru..." she paused and glared at the other young man, "Jet."

Haru hugged Katara, to the despair of Sokka. He had kept an eye on both boys since Katara had befriended them; no way were they going to get too close. Nope, never. "You look good, Katara," commented Haru nervously.

Katara looked down at her silver top and blue jeans, she shrugged and grinned at him. "So do you! I swear you grew since last time I saw you!"

He shrugged, but a blush of embarrassment was embedded in his cheeks. Sokka growled low in his throat and Suki looked at him in surprise. Haru was Katara's age, but Jet…Jet was someone Sokka always worried over. Katara had dated Jet for a few months last year, her freshman year. Jet's sophomore year. Sokka hadn't been happy about it; he had never liked Jet. But then Jet had done something that had broken Katara's heart, and she never forgave him. What it had been, Sokka didn't know. Katara would never tell him.

Jet stepped up, and smiled his crooked smile. "Hey, Ka-"

"Hey, Jet…" Sokka snapped the greeting before he could greet his sister. Sokka now stood protectively behind his little sister, his hand gripping her shoulder so tightly Katara winced slightly. Jet frowned and looked away.

"What's up, Sokka?" Jet's hair hadn't grown an inch, and still dangled in front of his face. He wore a brown shirt and torn-up blue jeans, with all-stars. He was looking away for a reason, and unconsciously rubbed the back of his head. The moment he and Katara had had a spitting fight that ended their relationship, Sokka had attacked Jet with full force. He would never forget the day Sokka actually threw a boomerang from his father's study at Jet's head. That kid had good aim.

"How's Aang doing?" Haru asked.

"He's fine, settling into his new classes, I think," Katara smiled, "its still amazing to me that a thirteen-year-old is able to get into high-school classes!"

"It doesn't mean much when you go to public school," grumbled Sokka, "he'll probably go to some crack-pot college." Katara slammed her hand into the back of his head and Sokka stumbled forward with the force.

"Shut it, Sokka. He's going to be a great man one day with a bright future ahead of him! He's doing this because he promised his family that they could be proud of him, and he'll do it! He'll make them proud!"

Sokka rubbed the back of his head with tightly shut eyes. "Defensive, defensive," he growled.

"I am not being defensive!" she snarled angrily.

"Defensive," sang Sokka.

Katara was about to pounce on her brother but just then the bell rang for the first class to begin and everyone separated. Everyone. In only a few seconds, the halls were empty except for Katara, who was still steaming from her brother's comment. "I'm not defensive," she growled angrily before stalking off to her next class, blue backpack swung over her shoulder.

**-O-**

Sokka leaned back in his desk, eyes narrowed, looking at the back of the young man in front of him. _I got my eye on you,_ he thought icily. How had that loser gotten into their school? Sokka had thought he'd never see him again, after their last interaction during the summer. _Hahn._ He looked away in annoyance, completely ignoring the teacher. It was Sokka's junior year, and he wasn't going to let anything get him down.

Sokka had been forced to promise Katara that he would do well this year, and try to make good grades. She wanted him to go to college and get a degree. A degree in what, though? Sokka supposed he could be a good food critic…but then again, all food was good to him. Sokka leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes in thought.

One more year, and he'd have to leave the school for college. He'd leave home, he'd leave his grandmother, and he'd leave his friends. Most importantly, he'd leave Katara. He didn't like the thought of his sister alone in a school with a bunch of hormone-driven guys. _Katara has Suki and Aang,_ a voice said in the back of his head. Another voice spoke up, this one more angry, _Exactly, Aang._ Sokka hadn't missed the glances the young teenager had sent his sister.

_Katara's strong,_ the first voice spoke up determinedly, _She can take care of herself. Besides, that's all two years away._

The classroom's door swung open and a figure clad in black stalked in. It wasn't until he turned to show the left side of his face did Sokka realize who it was. It had been the mysterious man from the parking lot! He was speaking to the teacher, his eyes narrowed. Did he always have that scowl on his face?

The teacher nodded and turned to the class. "Class, we have a new student this year," she was saying. The new guy stood beside her, back straight, his face narrowed in a scowl. "His name is Makoto Zuko. Why don't you sit behind Kurasawa Sokka, Mr. Makoto? Right over there…" She pointed to the seat behind Sokka.

Zuko glanced that way and walked toward the seat. He paused when someone purposefully stuck out their foot as if to trip him. He shot the teenager a glare that froze him to his seat, and then slowly the foot was placed under the desk in its rightful place. The young man mumbled a 'sorry' before Zuko passed.

Sokka kept his head down, eyes wide. The guy was beastly! Zuko sat without a sound behind him, and Sokka let out a breath he hadn't even realized he had held in. So his name was Zuko? And he was Sokka's age? Sokka didn't think he looked seventeen…more like eighteen! Maybe older.

"Hi, I'm Amarante!" A girl whispered to Zuko from his left. She had a bright smile and dark black hair that fell to her shoulders in light waves. Her smile was bright, her eyes a green color. Zuko nodded and looked away, and the girl frowned. She sat back up in her seat.

Sokka pulled around in his seat and gave her a flirtatious smile. "Hey, what's up?" he asked coolly, "Kurasawa Sokka."

She returned the smile by giving him a light frown. "I know who you are, Sokka. You did the same thing last year." She turned her head away, sticking her nose in the air.

"Mr. Kurasawa, flirting with the girls again, I see?" the teacher called to him from the front of the class.

Sokka swiftly stood in his chair. "No, ma'am, not at all!"

"Then mind telling us what I just said?"

Sokka paused and then gave a sheepish smile. The teacher moaned, "Excellent start to the school year, Mr. Kurasawa. Please take your seat." Sokka sighed and sat back in his chair, ignoring the giggling of the girls around him.

**-O-**

Katara leaned back in her chair, her fingernails rapping gently against the wooden table. Science class, oh how she'd always disliked it. She sighed and leaned forward in her chair, her chin in her hand as she placed her elbow on the wooden desk. "Bored already?" asked Suki to her right.

Katara shook her head, glancing at her friend. "Just hungry," she grumbled. First day of school, and already she was bored out of her mind and starving. She sighed and moved her arms to cross over the desk and she rested her chin on them.

"The bell's about to ring, don't worry. Lunch is next."

Katara nodded and gazed out the window at the cool summer day. The trees would turn in a month, and that was always her favorite day. The day the leaves turned color. Then winter, and the first snow fall was her favorite out of favorites. She felt more at home in the cold then in the heat. It was by nature. She shut her eyes and listened to the teacher ramble on about what they would start the first semester.

"It's always the same thing," Suki said in a hushed whisper, leaning her chin in a cupped hand.

"Hmm?" Katara turned her face away from the window to gaze at Suki.

"It's always the same thing," Suki repeated, "the first week is the most boring. Then it's easy the first few months. And then everything slams into you, corners you and you have nowhere else to go." Now Suki was glancing down at Katara with a sad smile, "They act like your friend for a while, and then the semester finals come around and then BAM!...No more friendship."

Katara looked away from her friend out the window, not listening to anything anymore. She sighed. She remembered last year. Her finals last year had been terrible. It was the first time she had to take them, and they were harder than anything she had ever come across. Everything piled onto one page. Katara shuddered inwardly. It hadn't been a good experience. _This year I'll be more prepared,_ she promised herself.

She nodded her head and unconsciously sat up from her desk, straightening in her chair and giving a determined glare to the front of the class. She would just sit in the front of the classroom, and pressure herself into learning more. She had already blackmailed— err, _pressured _—Sokka into promising he'd go to college. And in return he had forced her to promise in going to college as well. She wouldn't let her brother down.

Suki noticed the change in her friend's stature and smiled softly to herself. _She's thinking of the promise,_ she said thoughtfully, _She's got such a hard head._ Suki also sat up from her position and leaned back in her chair, her arms behind her head in support. Katara could do good things, she knew it. Katara would become a famous marine biologist or something. Despite the hatred Katara had toward science, she couldn't deny the love she had for sea creatures.

Someone leaned back in their chair in front of them so that they were on the back two legs, and Katara immediately put her foot against their chair as to not allow them to fall over. Katara was like that; she didn't like people to fall over. She would always help them back up.

Suki smiled to herself once more and faced the teacher, who was now talking about dissecting a pig. Katara must've caught that part, as well, for both of their faces fell into a disgusted twist. Katara and Suki looked at each other in disgust. "I'm so getting a boy as a partner," Katara grumbled. Suki nodded in agreement and they both broke up into a fit of quiet giggles.

**-O-**

The bell rang. Aang stood from his chair and swung his backpack over his shoulder, scooting his chair under the desk. "Now remember to read those papers, class!" the teacher called to the students as the exited the room, heading toward lunch. No one was listening to her, though, everyone was hungry.

"Aang!" He turned to see a girl his age running after him, her pink backpack swinging side to side as she slowed beside him.

"Hey Meng, how was your summer?" Aang continued walking, knowing that the young girl would follow.

"Boring, actually," the girl said, keeping up with his pace. "How about you?"

"It was a blast! Me, Katara, and her brother went hiking up in the mountains and camped out for a week." He waved his hands in the air for emphasis, "We hit it out nature-like, you know? It was awesome!"

Meng's bright smile faltered, but then she grinned once more. Her short braids, which went out to the sides instead of hanging down, bounced as she walked. "How's Appa? And Momo?"

Aang thought of his large, white fluffy dog and then his pale-white monkey. He shrugged and rubbed the back of his beanie that covered his bald head. "Okay, I guess. They're normal?" He glanced at the girl beside him and sighed and looked away. "How's your Aunt Wu?"

"Oh, she's perfectly fine. She says that you should come by anytime you want!" Aang nodded, putting his hand down to grip his book bag.

"That's good." They came to the cafeteria. He let out a sigh. Lunch time, the worst time of day. Last year he had been bullied multiple times for his lunch money, because he had been younger than the rest. Someone shoved past him and he growled. "Hey, watch it!"

The face that looked back at him scowled, red scar wrinkling over a golden eyes. "You watch it, pipsqueak!" snarled Zuko as he entered the line to get food. Someone beside him laughed at Aang.

"Nice arrow, arrow-kid!" Aang flushed and grabbed his beanie and removed it from his head. The blue arrow knitted into the black beanie looked back at him. He sighed and shoved it into his coat pocket.

"What punks," Meng said with a snort. She noticed Aang's bald head and panicked. "Aang, where's your beanie?"

Aang took it out of his pocket and waved it a moment before stuffing it back in his pocket. He walked into the cafeteria without another word, following the line through the cafeteria, gathering food. He waited for Meng after paying for his lunch, and then they began walking around to get their utensils.

"Aang!" Someone was waving to him. He looked up and saw Katara. Removing one hand from the red tray, he waved back. He turned to Meng.

"There's Katara," he said, "You going to eat with us this year, Meng?" he asked.

Meng looked over to where Katara was sitting back down and then turned back to Aang. She gave him a fake smile. "No, that's okay, Aang! I'll see you next period. I'm so glad they stuffed us in the same classes together this year…it'll be much better this way."

He nodded. "I'll see you then, Meng!" She turned and walked away without another word. With a shrug Aang walked over to where Sokka, Suki, Haru, and Katara were sitting. Katara scooted over to allow room on the bench and Aang took a seat beside her.

"So, how was your first class, Aang?" Katara asked enthusiastically as she bit into her turkey sandwich.

"It was fun," Aang said as he poked his spaghetti with his fork, "Kind of boring… The same old, same old, you know?" All of them nodded in response.

"Any homework?" Suki asked, trying to keep conversation going.

Aang shrugged. They all laughed. "You weren't paying attention?" Katara asked.

Aang shook his head, "No, the first week is always the same." Suki gave Katara a meaningful look but Katara looked away instead. Her eyes caught onto something, no some_one_ walking out of the cafeteria.

"Meng's not going to sit with us?"

Everyone looked at her curiously, before following her gaze to the girl walking out of the cafeteria. "No," Aang said unenthusiastically, "I don't think she ever will." Katara sighed and looked away, taking another bite out of her sandwich.

"Oh, you'd never guess whose in my history class!" Sokka said in enthusiasm. Everyone looked at him curiously and he waved his hands in the air, "The kid who took you parking spot this morning, Katara! His name's Makoto Zuko and he's new!"

Katara snorted, "I guessed as much," she said. "Is he a jerk all the time, or do you think its just a morning thing?"

Suki laughed, and then became deathly serious, her eyes narrowing. "You know what, that name sounds familiar. I think I overheard some of my sisters talking about him." Suki had five other sisters, and even though they were sisters by marriage and not by blood, they still called themselves the Kyoshi girls, which was Suki's father's name.

"What about him?" Sokka asked.

"He's the one with the scar, right?" When Sokka nodded, Suki continued, "Yeah, there's this terrible rumor going around that he put his house on fire." There was a chorus of gasps. "Some say he's a serious pyromaniac and that he was lighting some things on fire, when it got out of control! His mother was upstairs sick in bed, and he was going up stairs to go and get her when a piece of flaming wood skidded across his face."

Katara gasped. "That's pretty detailed for a rumor!"

"Yeah, and get this. He was saved, and his mother was killed."

Katara and Sokka gasped. A story like that was all too familiar for them. "That's terrible," Katara whispered, looking away. "And all this on the first day?" When Suki nodded, Katara shook her head in distaste. "That's terrible. I feel bad for him."

Sokka pointed to Katara with his fork, which had spaghetti strands dangling from it. "Don't pity a guy, Katara," he said as he stuffed the fork into his mouth. With a mouthful, he continued, "It'll only make things worse."

Katara nodded but looked away, catching the golden-eyed man from afar. She looked down at her tray and pushed it away; setting her chin in her hand with a sigh as her brother greedily grabbed her red tray and began eating what was left of her lunch.

**-O-**

"Gran-Gran, we're home!" called Katara as she entered her home with a shiver. Sokka followed her in, placing the keys on the hook on the wall by the door, hanging his coat, as well. It was a month since school had started, and as Suki had predicted, it was easy. It would soon get harder. Aang followed Sokka, placing his beanie on the coat hooks above a wooden bench and grinned when the old women came into the entrance room holding three steaming cups of hot cocoa.

Once each of them was seated at the kitchen table, the old woman asked how their day had been. "So-so," grumbled Sokka as he stuffed a few cookies into his mouth hungrily.

Katara rolled her eyes at her brother. She set her chin in her hand and shrugged innocently, taking a sip from her mug. "My day was okay, actually, thanks for asking," she said softly.

Aang looked at Katara for a moment, before looking down into his mug. Ever since his foster father had died a few years back, Kanna and her grandchildren had taken him in without so much as a second thought. For the first few weeks he had felt as if he were intruding his best friends' home. But they soon made it clear that he was now apart of their family. As were his two pets.

At that, something tackled his shoulder from behind. He felt the scuttling of claws against his skin as a head suddenly popped up from the collar of his shirt. His eyes widened, and then he grinned. "Momo!" he exclaimed. The monkey chirped and crawled out of his shirt, sitting atop his bald head with a peach in his hands. Then there was a grunt beside Aang, and there stood his large fluffy dog. "Appa! How are you, boy!"

The dog let out a moan that was translated into a happy, content sigh. Aang laughed and Katara laughed, too. She leaned down and rubbed the dog behind the ears. Appa and Momo were in complete bliss ever since they had entered Katara's home for the first time, and the large dog and monkey had grown to adore the girl with the braid down her back. Her brother, on the other hand, was a different matter.

Katara giggled at Sokka's put-off face, and she looked at him. "What? Want someone to scratch you behind your ears, Sokka?" He blushed. "How about we call Suki over?" At that Sokka suddenly stood, grabbing a few cookies in his hands and stalking off, grumbling a 'thank you' to his grandmother.

Katara laughed at her brother's obvious discomfort and Aang chimed in. Gran-Gran clucked at the back of her throat, "Now, Katara…"

"I'm sorry, Gran-Gran," Katara said sheepishly before her grandmother could chide her. "I should go start my homework. Are you coming, Aang? I can help you, if you like, on that math."

"I'm fine, Katara, I'll be up later." Katara nodded and left the room. Aang sat silently for a moment, and then he looked back to Kanna. "How was your day, Ms. Kurasawa?"

"Please, call me Gran-Gran, Aang," Kanna said, "and my day was just fine. And yours? I don't believe you ever answered."

Aang looked back at the old woman and sighed. Should he tell her what really went on in his day? The harassment he went through every day, how he never ate lunch because his money was beaten from him, how a certain junior never ended to chase him down. Zuko, he had learned to hate and fear that name. What caused the seventeen year old to hate him so much that whenever he could, he would beat Aang? Thankfully, most of his wounds were on his arms or chest, and he was able to hide them from any curious eyes.

He hadn't told Katara, because she would get defensive, and he didn't need a girl saving him from battles. And he wouldn't tell Sokka because, honestly, he didn't believe his friend would care too much about it.

"Young Aang," the woman said softly, "you are troubled. Speak up, or forever hold your peace." There was amusement in her eyes, and cold interest, but there was also concern. The woman had become like family to Aang for the past years.

"I'm fine, Gran-Gran. The cookies are great, and the hot cocoa hit the spot." He stood and swung his book bag over his shoulder before leaving the kitchen, going up the stairs, and into his room.


	3. Chapter 2

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Why do you people keep forcing me to say it? _Why_?!

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**Chapter 2:**

Sokka hit his head a few times on the table, trying to wake himself up. First class: History. He waited for Zuko to take his usual place behind him, as he normally did. Zuko normally kept to himself, but he normally stayed on the last row. And Sokka normally sat on the second-to-last. Today, however, Zuko sat a few rows ahead of him, beside a girl named Song that had been in his grade since kindergarten.

Sokka sighed but as the second bell rang announcing tardiness, the teacher walked in and demanded silence. The teacher seemed unusually happy as she set her papers and bag on her desk and turned to the class. "Quarter project," she announced. Everyone moaned.

"With partners," she added. "You will do a research paper over a topic concerning discussions in the government…from political to social to economic, an issue. Now for the partners…" The teacher went through the list slowly and carefully, and was greeted by a series of moans to a series of laughs and claps of excitement. "…Song and Jin, and last but not least Sokka and Zuko!"

Both boys looked up from what they were doing (Sokka doodling weapons and Zuko drawing fire) and looked at their teacher in utter surprise. "What?" they said at the same time.

"Good luck to all of you, the rest of class will be deciding on a topic. This will be a take-home project, so I hope you use your time wisely." And then the teacher left the classroom. The teenagers blinked and then hustled around the room, cheering and talking excitedly.

Zuko was glaring at Sokka with full-out hatred. Sokka sighed and stood; he guessed he'd have to be the one with the brains of the outfit. And the one who was more sensible. He rubbed the back of his head nervously as he walked over to Zuko's desk. "Guess we're partners," he said.

Zuko looked up at him before standing, looming over Sokka by a good three inches or more. "We're partners," he growled angrily, "we're not friends, get it?"

"Got it," Sokka muttered.

"Good."

"I wasn't going to suggest it. What I do suggest, however, is that we get this over with. That way both of us can get it over with, get a good grade at the same time, not procrastinate, and last but not least…this way, we don't have to spend a lot of our time together afterward. Just do it, get it over with, and end it. Fast and no pain needed."

The taller man slowly thought it over, and then snarled. He nodded. "Fine, but at your place. Not mine."

Sokka blinked and was about to ask why, when the teacher popped her head in and grinned. "Alright, class dismissed early. Have a nice weekend!"

"Let's start tomorrow night," grumbled Zuko as he stood to gather his papers. Sokka noted the flames drawn onto the lined paper. "I'm busy tonight."

"Fine, good enough for me. Gets me time to prepare my sister to not kill you." Zuko gave him a curious look before shrugging.

"Whatever. Just stay out of my way." He shoved past Sokka, and past the doorway without looking back, slipping something from a small box and sticking it behind his ear casually.

**-O-**

Katara pulled the car against the drive, eyes narrowed in annoyance. Someone was parked outside of their house in the driveway, a nice black ford truck. She glared at it with full force, wishing it would disappear. Every Saturday he came over, every Saturday in a month. He came over, mocked her brother, her grandmother, her best friends, and herself. He came over, did his work, and left without a 'thank you'. And not once had she spoken to him. Not a single word. She stayed in her room and waited for him to leave.

Honestly, he scared her to death. But today she didn't feel like she could hide. She was in a pissed off mood, even though she had just come from a good day of retail therapy with Suki. She pulled her car into park and turned it off. She climbed out and opened the backseat doors, pulling out her bags and slamming the door with her foot. She had been given permission to use Sokka's car for the day with Suki as the driver (she already had her driver's license).

Katara had driven home after dropping Suki off, and even though Katara had been given her permit, she didn't feel right driving without guidance. But as she walked up the steps toward her front door, her mind was racing. Would she make it up to her room without being seen? She let out a deep breath and unlocked the door with some effort.

"Hey, Katara!" Aang called from where he sat at the table. He was wearing long sleeves—_He's been wearing that lately,_ she commented silently to herself –with a mug of tea in his hands when she entered the kitchen. He wasn't looking at her; he was looking at his cup.

"Where are—?" Aang pointed out of the kitchen toward the living room, his hand shaking slightly, his eyes downcast. Katara stopped talking and studied him.

"He's in there."

"Aang?" Katara stepped forward worriedly but Aang looked away.

"Sokka ran out to grab something to eat before he came, but he came early. Gran-Gran's out with friends for poker." He grumbled taking a sip of tea.

"So…he's…here?" Aang nodded and Katara nodded in understanding. "All right," and stilly carrying her bags, she went into the living room. Her eyes traveled to the mantel of the fire place to the figure leaning forward on it, looking at the pictures that lined there.

Katara cleared her throat and suddenly he spun around, as if he had just been caught doing something illegal. Then he relaxed coolly and leaned against the mantel. Katara frowned when he pointed to a picture with his thumb. "You look better without the braces."

Katara scowled and walked over, slamming the picture face down onto the mantel, hearing the crack of glass from the force. She glared at him. "What are you doing here?"

He looked at her with amusement in his golden eyes. "I'm doing a project here," he said. He pushed himself from the mantel and slammed his body down onto the couch, looking at her with a dark look. "What are _you_ doing here?"

Katara glared at him. "I _live_ here, you idiot," she growled.

Aang was suddenly at the door, looking at Katara nervously. "K-Katara…"

His voice had been so soft, Katara didn't even hear him. "And I am so tired of your attitude! We have shown you nothing but kindness since you started coming here for that stupid project! You treat my grandmother with disrespect, you treat my brother as if he was a worm, and you treat my best friend like crap!"

"K-Katara…!"

This time Katara heard him and swung around, looking at Aang with surprise. He was leaning against the door post with sad, weary eyes. "It's okay, Katara," he said softly.

"No, Aang, it's not okay. It's not okay for him to treat people like this!" She swung back around to Zuko. "Is this how you treat your family? Is this how you were raised? Or are you just a jerk by heart?" He was looking at her with cold, golden eyes. "Because I am tired of seeing it! If you are going to come into my family's home, you should be respectful of the hosts, just as they are respectful to you! You are a cold-blooded, cold-hearted, sick, nasty, disrespectful, hurtful, ass of a man!"

Katara was breathing hard now, all of the frustration out. She grasped the chair in front of her for balance, and finally looked up. Zuko was standing and throwing on his coat. He didn't say a word as he passed her, shoving past Aang and he was out the front door. The rev of an engine was heard, and then squealing of wheels.

It was then that Katara realized that she was still holding some of her bags and she dropped them shakily. She let out a heavy sigh and rubbed her brow. "You okay, Aang?" She turned to Aang, who was slumped against the counter in the kitchen, breathing hard. "Aang?"

"I'm fine," he grumbled. He straightened himself. "Homework," was all he grumbled as he made his way up the stairs.

Katara heard the front door open and close. "Hey, Aang! What's up…Has Zuko come yet?" There was a pause and then Sokka entered the kitchen just as Katara was sitting down at the table, head in hands. "What's up with him?" Sokka asked as he set a bag of chips on the counter before turning to his sister. He studied her hunched form, she was shaking. "Katara…are you crying?"

Katara looked up and sighed. "No, Sokka, I'm fine. I think…I think I'm going to go take a nap. Get me for dinner…" She began to head out of the kitchen when a hand reached out and grabbed her arm.

"Wait, is Zuko here?" When Katara shook her head and merely muttered 'He's left' he released her and went up stairs. Sokka blinked at his sister's fleeting form and then shook his head. Crazy girls.

**-O-**

Zuko slammed his bag against the carpeted floor and let out an angry yell. Not _once_ had anyone ever yelled at him. Zuko spun around and punched the wall, letting out a yell at the pain and the anger he felt. He spun around and kicked his bed post, then letting out a pained shout he grabbed his foot and jumped up and down, cursing the bedpost and the stupid girl that had yelled at him.

_No one has ever yelled at me like that,_ he thought, _who the hell does that wench thinks she is?_ He spun around and kicked against something soft and realized that it was the kickboxing bag his uncle had placed against the wall when he had first moved in with him. Zuko looked down angrily and then threw a punch at the sand-filled bag.

A knock was heard outside his door and Zuko threw back his head, "Leave me alone!"

The door opened anyways, as was expected, and a gray-haired face peeped into the room with wide, curious eyes. "Zuko," the old man said, "what are you yelling about in here?" Zuko was hunched over, leaning down on the ground with his fists beating at the soft carpet beneath. His back was to the old man, and casually he entered. He had a wide girth, and wore a black over-coat over a nice suit. "Zuko?"

Zuko clenched his teeth. He hated venting his anger at his uncle. He was the only family really left to take in Zuko; his father had disowned him after the fire, and his sister was out of the picture considering she was still living at home and was a complete maniac. His Uncle Iroh had taken him in without a second glance. "I'm fine uncle," he answered through clenched teeth.

Iroh nodded, rubbing the gray beard that had begun to grow since Zuko had moved in with him. "Girl problems, nephew?"

Zuko tensed and spun around. "No!"

Iroh wasn't fazed by his nephew's outburst. He nodded solemnly and sat himself on his nephew's black bed. "I see…Tell me what happened."

There was no arguing with Uncle when he started, so Zuko let out a shaky sigh and turned his back to the old man once more. He was seated on his butt now, his legs pulled up slightly with his elbows resting on his knees. His hands were supporting his head up as he looked down at the carpet. "Remember how I told you I had a paper to write with a partner?"

"Yes, Zuko, I do."

"He has a sister."

"Oh! How scandalous!" Iroh said with sarcastic enthusiasm that made Zuko punch the wall in front of him angrily.

"It's not like that, Uncle. She's a stupid wench who says stupid words!"

"She yelled at you?" Iroh said in surprise, looking over at his nephew's hunched form.

Zuko retracted his fist from the wall and supported his head once more. "Yes, Uncle, she did."

Iroh nodded and slowly stood. He brushed off. He turned his back to his nephew as he neared the door, placing a hand on the silver knob. "There is an ancient Japanese proverb, young nephew," the old man said softly, and, ignoring his nephew's moan, he continued, "In a quarrel, the higher voiced person will win. Think about it." And then he opened the door, and left the room to let his nephew to think over his words.


	4. Chapter 3

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss 

**Disclaimer:** You people are so cruel, making me say this every chapter, but here, I'll say it anyways...if only to get you all to read this newest chapter. I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. There, I said it. You happy? Now _read_!

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**Chapter 3:**

Two weeks had gone by since Katara had yelled at Zuko. Two full Saturdays having to deal with her brother yelling at her for 'PMS-ing' in front of his project partner and scaring him away. Two weeks having to go through school feeling eyes at her back, glaring into her very soul. She knew he was watching her, she wasn't dumb. She felt as if at any minute he would attack her, kill her. He had that intimidating effect on people.

But now, as she sat in English class next to Haru, she felt safe and almost at ease. Being in Mrs. Williams' class was like being in heaven. You hardly did any work at all, and when you did, it was easy. She had never gotten such a high average in English before, but she had a 96 and was proud of it.

They were talking about some book on the Holocaust or something, but Katara was barely taking any notice. Her chin rested in the palm of her hand and she looked wistfully out the window. They were well into the middle of September. They had been in school for close to two months.

The leaves weren't changing yet. She let out a wistful sigh, and she became aware that the class had gotten silent. She lifted her head and realized that Mrs. Williams, along with the rest of the class, were looking at her oddly. Katara felt a deep blush lift to her cheeks. "I asked you a question, Ms. Katara, and all I get is a sigh?"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Williams. Could you please repeat the question?" Katara requested measly.

"Never mind, Katara," the woman with the short blonde hair turned toward Haru and asked him, "Haru, can you explain the character synopsis for Kitty and Canaan?"

Katara sighed and looked down at the copy of _Exodus_ by Leon Uris, which currently sat on her desk unread. She fingered the pages as Haru began to answer Mrs. Williams, "Well, Kitty…I don't think she knows exactly what she wants as far as we have gotten in the book."

"Explain," Mrs. Williams urged as she sat herself in her chair and leaned back against the rest, fingers intertwining.

"Well, Kitty was an American-born nurse who worked with orphans during World War II. When she went to the Cyprus Isles to see her friend, who had initially loved her since they had been kids, she had had no intention on getting caught up in the plans and ploys of Ari Ben Canaan," Haru clarified, "Ben Canaan has always had trouble expressing his emotions, and when he meets Kitty, a typically beautiful woman, he can't help but be a bit caught off guard. And Kitty at first sight of Canaan feels somewhat bewildered, if not a bit taken, by his looks and hard expression. She seems to know what she wants, and even though she is afraid of the Jews living in the campgrounds, she goes to the camps on request of Canaan."

By this point, other students had lifted their hands to add their own comments and Katara had stopped listening. Her head turned back to the window and she let out a breath of air. She was faintly aware of Haru watching her out of the corner of his eye nervously, before looking away with a discontented sigh.


	5. Chapter 4

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**Quick Note:** Chapters are going to be a bit shorter, because when I initially wrote this story, each chapter was intended for one character. But when I joined that sort of changed. So _now_ I'm trying to go back to my initial plan. Chapters _may_ be shorter, but they'll be more consistent. Thanks for all the great reviews, I love them! Enjoy! -U.B

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**Chapter 4:**

Lunch. Sokka always looked forward to lunch. It was a time for conversing, for spending time with friends and hearing the latest, juiciest gossip. Who kissed whom? Who did it with whom? Who was it that got the MIP on Monday? And topic was fine with him. In all honesty, he didn't really mind what the topic was as long as there was food in front of him. The minute food was placed in front of him, Sokka seemed to forget or recognize anything going on around him. And right now, as he sat at the table his friends called their own, shoveling his meatball sub into his mouth, Sokka failed to recognize that not one, but _two_ of his friends was indeed not there with them

In fact, the friend, no, the sister of said young man was looking for the first friend, who seemed to have disappeared the moment that the school bell had rang. Katara had turned to her brother, sitting beside him with her sacked lunch, looking at him curiously. "Sokka, where is Aang? Wasn't he with us?"

But Sokka had been looking hungrily at the steaming meat ball sub and ignored his sister completely. So with a moan, Katara swung herself from the bench and walked throughout the large cafeteria. When she couldn't find the young teenager anywhere in the building, she exited the doors leading outside and circled the building. Surely Aang wouldn't wander off too far? That's when she saw her, Meng running toward her with arms flailing and tears streaming down her tears.

The minute the girl sputtered the word 'fight' and pointed in the direction of where a few calls were coming from inside an alley-way, Katara began to run. The one thought going through her head repeated with more panic than she had ever felt before. _Aang's in trouble…Oh gods, please let him be alright!_

She skidded to a stop in front of the alley's mouth, where the cafeteria's inner doors connected with the main high school inside. There were no windows, and it was shady. A perfect place for trouble-makers to go. And Katara's eyes widened at the sight. At least 5 guys, juniors and senior, surrounded a form against the wall. Katara recognized the black beanie and the blue arrow, and her eyes narrowed angrily.

Without a second thought, Katara placed her hands on her hips and shouted angrily, "Hey!" All the boys turned and looked at her in half-heartened surprise. Katara stomped over to the group, shoving the boys apart. The boys, no, they were men. They looked at her in anger mixed with amusement as she shoved them; she was a sophomore, who did she think she was shoving them like that? But Katara was looking at two boys in particular. One had a pale, scarred face, and one had a blue, swollen eye.

"Let go of him!" she yelled angrily, grabbed the older man's wrist and yanking it down from where it was holding Aang up in the air by the collar. "Now!" Golden eyes glared into blue and then he shoved her back. She stumbled, eyes widened. Then her face reddened, but not in embarrassment, but in anger.

"K-Katara," Aang managed to say, his head turned to the side as a fist raised as if to hit him, "get out of her, Katara. I can handle them."

"Sure you can, Aang. Look how well you're doing now!" Katara snapped angrily. This time, she reached over to Zuko and forcefully shoved him aside. He dropped Aang in surprise and turned to Katara angrily. She was seething; litarly _seething_. How _dare_ he place a hand on her friend? How dare he _shove_ her?

Aang slumped against the ground, rubbing his head when the back of it hit the brick wall behind him. Katara seemed like a mother hen at that moment; feathers fluffed up angrily at the stupid rooster who had dared touch her baby. She lifted her hand and made way to slap him, but his hand caught her wrist. Calloused fingers wrapped around her wrist dangerously, golden eyes narrowed. Katara realized that she was fighting a battle already lost, but she shut her eyes tightly and wrenched her wrist away. He wasn't expecting the hook that came at him then, hitting him right across the chin.

He had expected a slap. A girlish pity tap on his wrist. No, he hadn't expected to be _punched_ by a girl. He stumbled back, running into the wall, blinking his eyes in surprise. The girl with the braid looked just as surprised as he, looking at him curiously, as if wondering why had stumbled back. And then, as if on cue, she felt the pain in her clenched fist and she made a face, looking down her bruised hand.

Her eyes suddenly looked up, frightened when Zuko pushed himself from the wall and rubbed his chin with the back of his hand. _Damn girl_, he thought angrily and shot disgusted looks at the other guys who were snickering at him. At his glare, the other boys ran off. Zuko was walking toward Katara with murder in his eyes suddenly someone was in front of her, taller than her, more protective.

Her _damn_ brother.

"I finished my sub and noticed you were gone," he explained to Katara who stood behind him. "Jet had seen you running, and came running back to me and told me what was going on."

"Stand back, Sokka. Your sister needs to learn a lesson" growled the scarred man in front of him.

Sokka scoffed. "Get lost, Zuko! You just got hit by a girl; go cool off somewhere else. Don't go off hurting girls. Don't stoop so low." And suddenly Jet and Haru stood beside him; Katara helping Aang up with wide, hurt eyes when Aang wouldn't meet her gaze.

Zuko glared at Katara before shoving past her brother without a second glance. He ran into something—no, someone—in front of him and looked up to see the headmaster of the school in the flesh, looking down at all the students with narrowed, questionable eyes.

His side-burns connected fully with his hair, which was brown and pulled into a strange top-knot atop his head neatly, and the way his beard met at the top of his mouth pointedly and spiked out from his cheeks with his big ears…he looked the full vision of a monkey.

"Headmaster Zhao..."


	6. Chapter 5

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss 

**Disclaimer:** Roses are red, violets are blue, I don't own Avatar, and neither do you.

* * *

**Chapter 5:**

Zhao's office was too clean, too warm. The children, yes, _children_, were sitting in front of him, each with their own expressions plastered onto their faces. The smallest child, the one coming into high school early, was messing with the black beanie in his hands, his eyes downcast. The girl beside him, the one with the long braid and blue eyes, was looking blankly at the wall behind him, lost in her own thoughts. The boy with the slightly shaved head and small ponytail was seated beside his sister, in between the scarred boy and the girl. His arm was wrapped around her shoulder protectively, and he was sending Zuko hard glares.

And Zuko. Oh, how priceless was this day? The son of the wealthiest man in the city stood in front of him, his eyes narrowed angrily. He wouldn't meet Zhao's eyes, and he smirked at this. The headmaster was a close 'friend' to Zuko's father, and he knew he would be looking forward to hear of what his son did at school today.

Oh, how sweet was the circumstances? He had been walking down the paths toward the cafeteria when he saw a few young man running from a darkened alley talking about a crazy sophomore girl, and at that same moment a young man with a ponytail—Sokka, his mind supplied dully—burst through the cafeteria, eyes ablaze, yelling out his sister's name. Two other juniors had followed the brother toward the alley and, curious to the commotion, Zhao had followed.

Zuko had run into Zhao, and so they found themselves here, sitting in hard chairs in an overly heated room with a cold man watching them, studying them. "So," his voice broke the silence, causing all of them expect Zuko to jump, "you," he pointed to the girl, "what's your name?"

Sokka stiffened beside his sister, immediately not liking the headmaster. It had been the first time he had ever seen the headmaster face to face, and honestly, he thought that Zhao had a keen likeness to an overly-fed chimpanzee. He said nothing, however, just glanced over at his sister nervously.

Katara looked down, her cheeks burning. She glanced over at Aang; his cuts were still open and his eye was swollen shut. Her gaze traveled over to the older teenager beside her brother; Zuko. His chin had a blue-purple tint to it…so she had done some damage. A siege of pride filled her, only to shatter by the cold voice of their headmaster. "Miss?"

"Katara," she said, looking at her headmaster. She didn't blame him for not knowing her name. They went to a fairly large high school, and even she didn't know half the people in her grade.

"Miss Katara," he said softly, testing the name. He nodded and leaned back in his coarse, brown chair, his fingers twining together to prop his chin upon. "You seem like a decent enough young person; tell me, what were you doing in the alley during the fight?" Of course, all five students had proceeded to explain what had been going on the instant they had seated themselves in the chairs provided when they entered his office.

But now he was curious; where did a young girl come into the whole fight?

Katara flushed and looked down. "As I tried to explain before, sir," she said, "I had left the cafeteria to go look for my friend, Aang. A girl came running toward me, telling me of a fight and pointed me in the direction. She's a good friend of Aang's, and had been with him when I had last seen him." Katara unconsciously took a glance over to her bald-headed friend with sad eyes; he refused to look at her. "There were a few guys surrounding him, beating up on him," she flashed a glare at Zuko, before returning her gaze to her hands, "When I came…I guess—I don't know. I had to protect my best friend." She lifted her gaze to the headmaster pleadingly.

Zhao stroked his chin thoughtfully, his eyes narrowing. "And where does punching Zuko come in?"

Her eyes widened and then a deep blush caressed her tan cheeks. "I—"

Now Sokka was speaking up. "It was for defensive purposes!" He was nearly standing, pointing at Zuko, "He was coming towards her!"

"Sit _down_, Sokka!" Katara pulled her brother's sleeve and he plopped into the chair beside her, glaring at nothing in particular.

"I've heard enough." _Already?_ Katara thought. "You two," he pointed to Sokka and Katara, "are dismissed."

Sokka stood and helped his sister up and they made their way toward the door. Katara paused and glanced back at Aang sadly, before continuing through the door and out into the secretary's office. With those two gone, the tense aura strengthened in the heated room and Zhao leaned forward into his desk, completely relaxed despite the two male teenagers in front of him.

"Zuko, I'm sure your father wouldn't like to hear of a fight you started with his oldest ally?"

Zuko and Aang spoke up at once, correcting the monkey-faced man with the same, cold tone, "Ex-ally."

Zhao narrowed his eyes and then motioned for Zuko to leave, "You are excused, Zuko. Might want to go get that chin checked out; it looks rather nasty. I'm sure your Uncle would be pleased to hear of the rash actions you have done today." Zuko stood and left through the door, slamming it behind him.

Zhao leaned back once more, stroking his chin. "That's right, your family was destroyed, wasn't it, Mr. Masuyo? How does it feel, being the last of your family? The last in the long line of Masuyo monks?"

Aang looked down, his eyes sad. His eye was swollen shut, and it hurt to move his head from side to side, and he could feel his body aching all over. However, the pain that echoed most in his whole entire body and made itself known at that moment, was the pain of loss. The loss of his family, of his home, of his wealth. The loss of those he had loved the most.


	7. Chapter 6

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** Avatar: The Last Airbender is owned by Nickelodeon and its creators, Mike and Brian. No fun rhyme for this chapter.

**Note:** Thanks for the 1001 hits! Considering that this story is fairly new, I think that's pretty good and feel honored. So, thanks for the lovely reviews and hits (hits can be lovely, right?). Hope you all have a great New Year's Eve! Bring on 2007! -U.B

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**Chapter 6:**

Katara paced the secretary's office, eyes wide and worried. "Shouldn't you be getting to class?" It was Sokka speaking, his voice low, almost angry. Was he angry at her? She didn't do anything! She paused and looked at him a moment, before continuing on pacing. The secretary behind the desk was watching her nervously, her hands fingering the black, slick phone, as if at any moment she would have to pick it up and call the police.

"I don't need to get to class, I _need_ to make sure Aang's okay!" she snapped irritably, her pacing pausing momentarily as the door was swung open and slammed shut.

Golden eyes met blue, with a scowl written over his face. He shoved past her. "What are you looking at?" he grumbled as he passed.

"Nothing," she said softly and looked away, holding herself as she looked at the black and white tile.

"Katara, go to class," Sokka, who had been leaning up against one of the chairs in the office, was now standing. He was ready to usher his sister away if she caved in. She didn't. She jutted out her chin and paced with a stronger stomp in her step. He watched her and then he sat back down. "You're impossible," he grouched.

"Thanks for that," she said softly, her arms still wrapped around her tiny waist as she paced. She remembered the way he had shoved her back in the alley, and she hugged herself tighter slightly. What made him want to beat up Aang? Aang was a loveable kid, who never did anything wrong! Why did Zuko hate him so?

The door leading to the headmaster's office slowly opened and Katara stopped pacing and faced it with wide, hopeful eyes. The instant the door shut behind Aang, Katara rushed to embrace him but Aang side-stepped slightly, eyes narrowed at the ground. Katara caught her balance and looked over at Aang with a hurt expression.

Sokka, who seemed clueless, stood and brushed off his pants. "So, what's doing?"

"Nothing," Aang answered, "let's go to class."

Sokka looked over to Katara with a curious look, but she was looking at the ground looking as if she had been stabbed right through the heart and was left to die. Sokka looked back at Aang; Aang looked just as worse. Sokka rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Well, you're all a sight for sore eyes."

"We just got of the headmaster's office, Sokka," Katara answered softly as they exited the administrative center, "of course we don't look well."

Sokka nodded slowly. "Yeah, but—!"

"Just drop it, Sokka," Aang's voice was quiet and cold and caused both of his friends to pause in surprise. Aang never sounded like that; he was always cheerful. Aang paused and looked back at his two friends, smiling slightly at them as he slipped his black beanie onto his bald head, "Please?"

Katara glanced Sokka's way and then she started walking once more. "I have to go to class."

"Wait, Katara, do you need a note?" Sokka called after his sister. They were all tardy to class by this point and were given notes by the secretary to give to their teachers of that period. Katara dug through her jacket pocket and then pulled out a small sheet of pink paper and waved it back at them.

Sokka nodded and turned to Aang, but the small teenager was already gone. Sokka rubbed the back of his head and then shrugged. _Whatever_, he thought as he turned to go back to his own class.


	8. Chapter 7

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss 

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender...'nuff said.

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**Chapter 7:**

Aang set his head on his desk, shutting his eyes tightly. His pride was wounded; normally, he wouldn't have minded if Katara stepped in to voice her opinion, he really wouldn't have cared! But by doing so, she had placed herself in harms way. Zuko was dangerous. His eyes parted slightly, looking at the paper that sat on his tabletop. He was in his English class, and they were watching a movie on Shakespearean plays. He was supposed to be watching it. He just couldn't.

The words of his headmaster kept replaying in his mind. "…_your family was destroyed, wasn't it, Mr. Masuyo? How does it feel, being the last of your family? The last in the long line of Masuyo monks?"_ His eyes shut tightly; it felt terrible. Really, really terrible. Living with Katara and Sokka's family had kept his mind off of the pain…but that could only last for so long.

It could only last for so long, and Aang could feel it breaking. The feelings he had for Katara, the hope she held for him, the friendship with Sokka—that could all disappear…could shatter. _Trust takes forever to build, but seconds to shatter_.

Slowly his eyes opened once more and he stared blankly ahead; it could only last for a while. He blamed himself for his family's downfall. It had been his own insolence that made him leave their side right before the fire. He had run away three days before the 'accident'…he run away, and he had met Katara on the streets on her way from school. She had stayed late to work on a project, and she was walking home when she had spotted him. She just started talking to him.

And before he knew it, he was staying in their house. He told her most everything; why he was on his own, about his family and their respects…everything. She told him that he should go home and see his family. Aang did as she said, but brought her and Sokka with him. He didn't want to face the angry faces of his family alone.

When he got there though…it was destroyed…

"By a fire," the police had said.

"Arson?" guessed Sokka.

The police shook their head. Aang's family had been apart of a well-respected monk community, rich and wealthy in all prospects. Few people had anything against them. "No, it was from an oven-started flame." The policeman, chubby and big in width, then turned to Aang with a sad smile, "Come with me, young master Masuyo. I'll take you somewhere where you will be safe and kept well until you are taken in by your appointed guardians."

Aang looked back at Katara and Sokka and they hugged before he left. A few weeks later, Aang had been taken to his guardian's mansion where he was kept well fed, but not treated well. Aang ended up running away from there and going to Katara's home, where he was once again welcomed with wide arms.

Gran-Gran had then gone back to the mansion to speak to the guardian, and soon Aang found himself permanently living with Katara's family as a new member. They even welcomed Appa and Momo with wide arms! Since then Aang had never been on his own. He was thankful.

A slow smile formed on Aang's lips as he sat up when the bell rang, and Meng looked at him with wide eyes. "What are you so smiley about?" she asked, "we just watched a depressing movie on William Shakespeare's life!"

Aang's smile disappeared and then he shrugged as he picked up his bag. "I'm not smiley."

They exited the classroom and headed to their lockers to pack up for the weekend. Aang's eye was swollen shut still, and he had gone to the nurse's office instead of going to class after he parted with Katara and Sokka. She had given him some Aspirin for the pain, and an icepack for his eye. She covered his cuts, and told him to keep the icepack on the eye until he got home. Yeah right; the moment he had left the nurse's office he had begun to eat the ice instead.

Aang reached his locker and opened it; Meng came beside him, nervously stepping from one side to another. "Aang, are you busy this weekend?"

"What?" Aang looked at her in surprise.

"Do you…want to do something…?" she paused.

"Like a…date?" Aang asked with wide eyes. Meng's cheeks flushed and she nodded quickly. Aang blushed a deep color and rubbed the back of his neck. "Gosh, Meng…I wish I could…but…"

"You don't like me. Do you?" Meng asked sadly as she looked away.

"Of course I like you!" Aang said in surprise.

"But not the way I like you," she said softly, looking away. Her mood had changed so swiftly, and her two braids seemed to wilt with her gloomy appearance. "It's ok. It's just really hard when you like someone, but they don't think of you that way."

Aang looked away, embarrassment and grief mirroring on his face. "I know what you mean."

Meng suddenly looked at him with a sad smile. "She's beautiful;" she said softly, "Katara, I mean … I can see why you like her so much," she lifted her hand and began counting on her fingers, "she's sweet, she's brave, and her hair seems so manageable." Meng self-consciously pulled at her braids, looking at them with a depressed look on her face.

Aang didn't know what to say; he had known Meng had had a crush on him…but not like this! Not this much. He slowly stepped forward toward Meng but she stepped backward with a flushed face, her eyes wide as if she had just realized what she had said.

"Meng…I…"he started, but was interrupted.

Meng suddenly looked at her wristwatch and her eyes widened. "Oh no! I have to go help Aunt Wu at the shop! The invitation is still open, Aang! You can bring Katara and Sokka if you want, just call me…" she paused and smiled. "I'll see you around!" She waved and disappeared around a corner.

Aang rubbed the back of his head; girls


	9. Chapter 8

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss 

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. All I own is this stupid cupcake...but that doesn't count.

* * *

**Chapter 8:**

Zuko slammed the door, his eyes narrowed at the ground as he walked into the kitchen. As expected, Uncle Iroh was sitting at the kitchen table reading a newspaper and sipping from a teacup. Iroh looked up, his content appearance darkening slightly into disappointment. "Ah, Zuko, you've come home. How was your day?"

Zuko looked over at his uncle with a scowl, before slowly, it too slipped away into grief and he slammed himself into a chair at the table. He hit his head against the tabletop, shaking his head. "You got a phone call, didn't you?"

"Yes, Zuko," Iroh said softly, "I did. I had no idea that you were such a bully, Zuko. We've moved around so much…for many different reasons. But this…never have I been given a reason to move because you lost a sense of pride and honor."

"I've already lost my honor, Uncle," Zuko answered darkly.

"Yes, but through these past few years you have gained some back. All of that is lost, however, since you have began beating up on a young boy and shoved a girl."

"I didn't think th—"

"You didn't think at all, Zuko. Honor provides that you do not strike those younger or weaker. I thought I taught you better than hitting a young woman!" Iroh paused, now noticing the bruise on the young man's chin. "What happened to your chin?"

Zuko looked away, standing and walking toward the ice chest. He took out a pack of ice and placed it on his chin with a dark look. Iroh chuckled. "I thought Zhao was just exaggerating over the phone; but it seems the young gal did hit you!" Zuko turned toward his uncle to yell at him, only to falter in surprise; a gleam shone in his uncle's eye. "What spirit!"

"Uncle!" Zuko yelled in exasperation.

Iroh nodded and his chuckles subsided. "Yes, yes…well," he took a sip from is tea and looked down at the paper in front of him, "you'll have to apologize to the poor girl. And her friend; the monk." He looked up to see his nephew's surprised look, "Please, nephew, you didn't really expect me not to know why you were beating up on the young child? I know he is of the Masuyo blood line…I only guessed that you would try to get your honor back by doing what your father asked of."

Zuko turned to the sink and leaned over it, letting the icepack slip into the metal sink. His hands gripped the metal until his knuckles turned a pale white. "I can't apologize, Uncle."

"Of course you can, nephew."

"No, I can't."

"You are going to have to go over to their house sooner or later, Zuko. You have a project to do with that young man, don't you? Wouldn't it make it better if you just apologized?" Iroh suggested simply.

Zuko shut his eyes tightly and pushed himself from the counter. "I'm going upstairs…"

He couldn't apologize to that stubborn witch. She was…if anything, just infuriating to him. She had the fuse of a bomb, ready to explode at any given time it seemed. Especially when it came to that child. The 'monk'. The child that had eluded the clutches of his father for so long. And now the only thing that stood in his way was a clucking mother hen and her dim-witted brother.

How could he apologize to that girl? She was just always _there_. And ever since she had yelled at him at her home, he hadn't been able to really get her out of his mind. Now, he always pinpointed her in the halls of their school, always able to see her brown hair through the sea of blondes and dark brunettes and red-heads. Always able to identify those blue eyes.

It annoyed the hell out of him.

And she had the gull to yell at him! No one had ever yelled at him. Let alone punch him.

It annoyed the hell out of him, but made him curious of her family, of _her_.

And perhaps that is what most bothered him most of all.


	10. Chapter 9

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss 

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**Quick Note:** Thanks to everyone who have reviewed thus far in the story! I really appreciate it! Hope you enjoy this chapter! -Unwritten Bliss

* * *

**Chapter 9:**

Katara sat at her desk, writing down the answer to an Algebra problem, her mind wheeling. Her focus wasn't on her homework; it was working on the past week. She was thinking about Aang, about how ever since the fight in the alley, he hadn't looked at her. He kept quiet, his pride and his honor slowly building itself up once more. Her mind was on Sokka and Suki, wondering when Sokka was finally going to make his move.

And her mind was on him. Zuko. She hadn't seen head or tail of that stubborn oaf ever since the headmaster's office. He hadn't come the last Saturday, and there was no hope for today, either. October was just beginning, and no telling how many Saturdays were left in the quarter. They needed to get their project done, and she kept pestering Sokka about it.

But he was too busy thinking about other things—mainly Suki.

Katara sighed heavily, realizing that there was no way she was going to finish her homework before Sunday. Besides, it was a Saturday. She should be at the movies with her friends, not in her room trying to figure out number seven on the algebra assignment!

Just as she came to this decision the doorbell rang. Katara tilted her head and looked at her clock. It was noon. _Perhaps Sokka invited a friend over for lunch_, she thought.

Katara stood to throw a sweater over her long-sleeved shirt because it had gotten considerably colder since September, the winter weather beginning to kick in a bit early. She knew Sokka or Aang would answer the door, so she continued to take her merry little time getting settled for the day. She pulled her hair into a high ponytail atop her head, the two strands that always fell separate from the rest falling into her eyes. She didn't mind, Katara was quite used to it.

The doorbell rang again.

"Someone going to get that?" she called as she opened her door to the hall. No one answered and that's when she saw the note on her door.

_Katara,_

_Gone to the store to buy food for s'mores. Feed yourself, we'll be back later._

_Gran-Gran, Sokka, Aang_

Katara sighed heavily and jerked the note off the door, crumbling it in her fist and padding downstairs. Whoever was on the other side of the door was knocking now and Katara's head pounded from the sound. "Okay, chill. I'm coming!" she called.

The knocking halted as the lock was turned and the door pulled open. Katara was expecting one of Sokka's little friends, but wasn't expecting _him_.

"Umm, hey…Jet…" she said nervously. She hadn't spoken to Jet unless completely needed this year; she was keeping her distance. He walked into her home and turned around, looking at her cautiously.

"Hey…" he paused to look her up and down curiously. She was dressed in blue jeans and black socks, a black Northface pulled over a T-shirt. Her hair was pulled up, those two strands of hair in front of her face like they always were.

"Can I help you?" Katara asked, keeping the door open. Her tone was that of a suspicious one and made Jet look down guiltily for a moment before looking up with that smirk of his.

"Is Sokka here?"

"No."

There was an awkward silence and then Jet cleared his throat and rubbed the back of his head nervously. Katara glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest. "Is that all?"

"What? –Oh, no, it isn't."

"Then get on with it. I've got things to do, Jet," she said coldly.

Jet paused and then looked down. How would he put this? Said the wrong way, and Katara might actually kill him for trying. He looked back up and for once in his life; he gave a genuine smile to the girl in front of him. "Would you like to go out to lunch?"

Katara seemed completely caught of guard as she took a step back in surprise. She looked at him hard. "Are you serious, Jet?" When he nodded slowly, she spun around on her heels, her back facing him so he wouldn't see the sad expression on her face and the blush that was rising. "No, Jet. Not again."

"Its just lunch, Katara, just for old time's sake."

She glanced at him over her shoulder. "You're paying?"

Jet's face faltered and then he rubbed the back of his neck and looked up at the ceiling of the entranceway, a nervous smirk to his face. _She never forgets anything, does she?_ He thought to himself.

"I didn't think so…" Katara said as she turned back to him. "I don't think it's a good idea, Jet. I thought we agreed to go separate ways."

Jet put his hands on the top of his head in a look of total exasperation. "It's for old time's sake, Katara. As friends! Nothing more!" His look saddened, "We did go out separate ways…I thought that over the summer you'd have gotten over it. Forgive and forget, you know?"

Katara gave him a withering glare. "Who said I forgave?"

Jet looked stunned a moment, but then he placed his smirk back on his face and positioned his hands in his jacket pockets. "Alright, Katara. Alright, I get it. It was worth a shot."

Katara was quiet, and then she pulled the door open a little wider. Her eyes narrowed, she spoke as kindly as she could, "I think you should leave now, Jet. Thanks for the offer, maybe some other time."

Jet looked at her closely, and then shrugged and walked outside onto the front porch. He smirked and lifted a hand to Katara as he turned to face her. "See ya at school, Katara." The door swiftly shut in his face, and slowly his smirk disappeared and was replaced by a disappointed scowl. As he walked back to his small car, he thought aloud: "Damn, I thought for sure she would have said 'yes'."


	11. Chapter 10

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss 

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

* * *

**Chapter 10:**

"Here it is!" Aang swiftly pulled out the box of graham crackers and placed them in the basket. "This is going to be so much fun!" He grinned and looked to where Sokka was just moments before, but to find that he was gone. He looked around the cracker isle, and then finally spotted him. Sokka was straight ahead, out of the crackers isle, standing hungrily in front of the meat department. His mouth drooling.

Gran-Gran nodded. "I think this was the perfect idea, young Aang. Now where's that grand-son of mine?" She looked around and finally spotted him. She shook her head with a chuckle. "That good for nothing, meat-obsessed boy," she muttered under her breath as she began to push the buggy over to where Sokka stood.

But Aang quickly stopped the old woman, a kind smile on his face as he gently pushed her out of the way so he could push the nearly-full basket. "Allow me, Gran-Gran Kanna," he said.

Gran-Gran smiled. "Thank you, Aang." Aang merely nodded as they headed to the meat department.

When they reached it, Sokka was ordering a pre-made meatloaf and some raw sausage links, and various other meat products. He was literally drooling, and his face was pressed to the display glass as he pointed to the meats he wanted. Gran-Gran quickly took control of the situation, telling the overly-large man behind the counter with the butcher knife that the two links and the meatloaf was enough.

The man behind the counter looked thoroughly annoyed with Sokka, and if it wasn't for Kanna's quick thinking, then Sokka would have been dragged off by security. After the old woman and two boys walked off with their meats, the man looked at the glass displays with a resentful look. _I just cleaned those, too. Damn boy._

At the direction of Gran-Gran, Sokka took control of pushing the buggy along. Kanna turned to Aang, her eyes narrowed in determination. "I think we need to get something _healthy_, for once. Why don't you go pick out some fruits and vegetables, Aang? Some that you like, since you don't eat meat."

Sokka bit into a piece of jerky that had been placed out at the meat department as a 'free tasting'. "I still don't get that whole thing, by the way. Who wouldn't like meat? You eat fish don't you?"

Aang looked at Sokka for a moment. "Fish isn't meat."

Sokka blinked. "Then what is it?"

Aang lifted an index finger and opened his mouth as if to answer, and then after nothing came out he promptly shut his mouth and curiously looked at Sokka.

There was a long silence and then suddenly Gran-Gran said, "Hogmonkeys!" and the two boys looked at her with wide eyes.

"Hogmonkey? What's that?" Sokka said, slightly bewildered at his grandmother's sudden outburst.

Gran-Gran smiled widely and began to usher Aang away to the fruit and vegetable department. "Go, go, young Aang! We'll be in the cereal isle!"

Aang, still slightly confused, nodded and walked away. He headed slowly toward the department he had been instructed to go to, stopping only once to look at dog foods. Appa was running a bit low on food.

After seeing that they didn't hold the brand of dog food Appa liked best, Aang moved onto his errand at the fruits and vegetables department. Aang paused at the peaches, and grabbed a few, placing them in a plastic bag. Not only did he and Sokka enjoy peaches, but Momo loved them as well. And Momo ate anything Aang ate.

He grabbed a bag of nuts, and then moved on to other fruits and plants. Sokka paused when he came to watermelons. They were too heavy to grab, and were best in summer, but every time he thought of watermelons, he thought of the time Katara had brought one to the beach. It had been the first summer together with the Kurasawa family, and they had decided to take him to the beach. Katara had brought a watermelon to serve with lunch, but instead of eating it, Sokka had accidentally blown it up with a firework.

That incident was forever implanted into his memory, because the look on Katara's and Sokka's faces when the smoke had cleared was priceless. Katara had just begun to cut the watermelon when the wild firework hit it, and she was covered with watermelon, a small burn on the hand holding the knife. Sokka's head was black with soot and ash, and he had a piece of the shell of watermelon over his hair. Gran-Gran was laughing with delight and had taken a picture, but Aang had been worried sick that Katara was injured.

She hadn't been completely injured, and the burn disappeared after a few weeks.

Now, Aang looked at the watermelon with sad eyes and turned to look at some lettuce. Katara liked to make salad, and he missed eating it. She was also good at making stew; maybe he should request a stew night for dinner sometime. But then he would think back to how she was nearly hurt by Zuko, and his thoughts vanished, replaced by dark thoughts.

Katara had been nearly hurt by that guy. Zuko was dangerous. Anyone with a brain could see that. So why didn't Katara? Why did she have to get involved? Zuko knew why he hated Aang. Aang knew somewhat why Zuko hated him. Katara didn't know. _She doesn't need to know,_ Aang thought as he picked a good lettuce plant and placed it into a plastic bag.

The back of Aang's neck prickled, as if he felt someone watching him. Aang froze, and slowly turned his head and looked around to see who was watching him. He looked around, and when the thought of being crazy was becoming stronger, he saw him. An old man, perhaps in his early seventies, late sixties, stood with one hand outstretched toward some apples. Golden eyes met gray, and Aang's eyes slowly widened.

The man had a small beard around his mouth, his hair pulled back into a fashionable topknot. He wore a nice suit over his big belly, and he held a kind aura. But the gold eyes pulled Aang into a subconscious anxiousness. He only knew one family with golden eyes like that, and that family was the same blood as the man who had threatened him in the alley.

"Uncle, I found the…" the scarred boy's voice trailed as his eyes finally saw what his uncle was looking at. A scowl replaced the easy-going face Zuko had been adorning, and his hands pulled into fists around the orange juice carton he was holding.

Aang looked at the scarred boy, and then to the old man. Yes, the same golden eyes. One pair was definitely kinder than the second. Aang swiftly picked up a few more vegetables and rushed out of the department, heading to the cereal isle like the Devil himself were at his heels.

Zuko swung around to Iroh to yell at him, but Iroh wasn't paying attention. Instead, he was rubbing his chin, deep in thought, his face turned in the direction the young monk had just disappeared.

Zuko faltered, and then let out a deep grown and placed the carton in his Uncle's basket. "Come on, Uncle, let's go check out and get the hell out of here. I'm getting claustrophobic."

Iroh was pulled from his thoughts and he looked patiently to his nephew. "Of course, Zuko."


	12. Chapter 11

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

* * *

**Chapter 11:**

Suki pulled her hood off her head and sighed. So much for a warm fall season as was predicted. It was freezing outside, and it was only October! She shut her eyes and let out a breath of air. Mondays; the start of every week, the day every known student dreaded. Her chin-length, brown hair was pulled back into a half-ponytail, and she was wearing blue jeans with a green, long-sleeved green T-shirt under a white hoody. There was no way anyone could be wearing short sleeved shirts during this chilly weather. It was about forty degrees outside!

"Suki!"

Suki turned and she felt her jaw fall unceremoniously. She took all that back, one person was stupid enough to wear short-sleeves on days like this.

Katara waved to her friend and ran up, her blue backpack swinging back and forth on her shoulder as she skidded through the crowd of students. "Suki, hey!" She stopped in front of her friend and grinned. "How was your weekend?"

"You're wearing short sleeves," Suki pointed out.

Katara frowned and looked down at her outfit. She was wearing a faded blue T-shirt with short sleeves with a picture of a cookie and words that said, 'Cookie Monster' painted on the front. She wore blue jeans, and on her arm hung her black North Face. She looked at her friend curiously, and voiced her thoughts, "What's wrong with that?"

"Its forty degrees outside."

Katara looked at her friend now with understanding. "No worries, I have my North Face!" She lifted the sweater as if to prove her point.

"You aren't wearing it," Suki scolded.

Katara looked at the black sweater and then a goofy smile spread to her face, "I guess I'm not."

Suki crossed her arms and looked at her friend critically, "You aren't cold?" Katara shook her head, making her low-braided pigtails bounce over her shoulders. "Of course not," muttered Suki. Then she spotted Sokka talking with a few boys from his class and her cheeks flushed. He wasn't wearing his jacket either, and he was wearing short sleeves, too. "Your family is crazy," she mumbled.

Katara turned slowly to see what her friend was looking at, and a knowing smile glowed on her face when she turned back. "Remember, Sokka and I are part Innuit. We love cold weather."

"That's not hereditary," muttered Suki, and then she shrugged. She had been friends with Katara ever since first grade, but she had never gotten used to the way her friend treated the Fall and Winter seasons. Like they were Summer. She shook her head. "Your family is crazy," she repeated.

Katara just smiled. "We have Science first today," she said.

Suki moaned, "Oh yeah, we do, don't we? I hate science, especially biology!" To prove her point, Suki stomped her foot angrily. "What does science have to do with what I want to do in life?"

Katara looked at her friend unhappily. "I'm sorry," she said, "I'm sure there is some reason they torture us thus. Cheer up, Suki. Its our first class, meaning we'll get it out of the way! No more worries until tomorrow!"

Suki nodded with a smile, "You're right, Katara! Let's go before the bell rings."

Katara nodded, but before they could leave their spot someone called out to them. They turned to see Sokka walking up, waving his hand to get their attention. "You guys headed off to class so early?"

Suki blushed, but Katara leaned back casually against the lockers that lined the walls of the hall and looked at her brother. "Yeah…what of it?"

Sokka ignored his sister but kept watching Suki, who was looking at her feet with a small blush on her cheeks. "How was your weekend, Suki?" he asked, repeating the first question Katara had asked her friend.

Suki glanced up at Sokka, and then tilted her head up and grinned. "It was great! I won my match!"

Katara looked at her friend with a fake, hurt look on her face. "You had a match? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Yeah, we would have come to cheer you on!" Sokka added, "But that's great that you won."

Suki smiled brightly, her bright brush lightening to a soft pink on her cheeks. "Yeah, totally kicked their butts. How was your weekend?"

"It was good, I…" Katara slowly slipped away from her friend and brother. They needed to talk, anyways. She knew something was between them, but they refused to admit it to themselves or each other. _They need their _alone_ time_, she mocked silently in her head as she walked away.

She glanced back only once, to find that Suki was leaning against the lockers, with Sokka casually leaning forward while they talked. She smiled silently to herself and turned back to the path ahead of her just in time to catch herself before she bumped into someone. She looked up to apologize, to find Jet looking back at her.

"Good morning, Katara," he greeted.

She realized the close proximity they were standing to each other and she staggered backward, a blush on her face. She nearly fell backward, tripping over her feet, but he grabbed her wrist before she could and pulled her upright, making sure to keep his distance.

"Sorry," he apologized, "I should watch where I'm going next time, ne?" He gave her his tilted smile.

Katara found herself smiling back, and she poked him playfully in the chest, "You've been reading Manga again, haven't you?"

His smile faltered at such a playful notion from her, but then he smiled more brightly. "Eh, you caught me."

Her smile faded quickly and she crossed her arms across her chest. "You haven't changed a bit," she said, "I need to go, I'll see you around."

He watched her pass him by and his smile disappeared, replaced by a dissatisfied frown. He had been so close. So close to the past. When she always used to give him that smile. He _missed_ that smile. He missed _her_.


	13. Chapter 12

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**Note:** Ah-ha-ha! I love all of your reviews! Thank you so much! Stay tuned after this chapter for some review...answer...comments...yeah! Whoo! Thanks! Hope you guys enjoy this chapter! -U.B

* * *

**Chapter 12:**

Tuesday afternoons. Normally, she would walk to sports with Suki and then split ways when they needed to go to their separate athletics. But right now, Katara walked alone. Why? Katara lifted her head slightly to see Suki and Sokka walking side by side up ahead of her on the path, deep in conversation. Katara's eyes softened.

Yeah. They hadn't stopped talking since yesterday, when she had left them in the hall. They never talked this much. Maybe something was actually going to happen this time.

Her blue Nike sport's bag hung off one shoulder, her field hockey stick in her other hand. Her hair was pulled back into a single braid down her back today; she had been too lazy to do anything else with it. She had pinned the two loose strands of hair that normally fell into her face behind her ears, so that they looped slightly beside her face.

Not much was happening at school. Her fine arts class, art, was something she never wanted to do again. She had decided this long ago, but had never really considered switching until today, when she got back a graded painting she had made. It was the lowest grade she had ever gotten. How could the teacher give her a forty on a painting?

Katara unconsciously hit her field hockey stick against her leg angrily, her eyes shut tightly to hold back the angry tears. She had worked two weeks on that painting! _Two weeks_! Only to get a forty? Art wasn't her slice of cake.

She should have done drama this year. She was good with acting. She opened her eyes and continued walking toward the gym. And that's when she smelled it. Slowly, Katara's step slowed and she sniffed the air once more. _Is that smoke I smell? Is something on fire?_ Katara circled a building to her right and as she came closer to a small alley between two buildings, she realized it wasn't just any sort of smoke. It smelled of cigarette.

Katara scrunched her nose to the smell, but continued walking, intent on giving the smoker a piece of her mind for smoking on school grounds. Which was against the rules. Which made her look like a goody-two-shoes. But she wasn't considering this at the moment.

She turned into the alley and stopped short, for there, leaning against the wall, stood Zuko. A cigarette was casually tucked behind an ear, another cigarette between two fingers as he huskily breathed outward, a cloud of smoke exiting his nose.

Katara crossed her arms over her chest and tapped a foot against the ground, clearing her throat loudly. His head slowly turned toward her. It was as if it took a moment for him to realize who it was, and he slowly lifted the cigarette toward her. "Want a puff?" he asked with a smirk.

Katara looked at him in disgust. "That's nasty."

He groaned. "I don't need to be chastised by you. I get enough of that crap from my Uncle."

Katara looked at him angrily. "It's a bad habit," she started, "I don't care if your uncle has told you before, he obviously isn't helping!"

He turned his face away from her and put the cigarette to his mouth meaningfully, glancing back at her as he breathed in and then out through his nose, a puff of smoke exiting as it did before. He smirked again. "Yeah, it's a bad habit," he agreed.

Katara glared at him. "It can kill you. You should stop."

"Don't tell me what to do," he growled as he pulled it away from his mouth. He pushed himself from the wall and faced her completely.

Katara stepped back nervously, as if she just remembered who she was reprimanding. "It can kill you, Zuko," she said, her voice cracking. She wasn't really sure why she was trying to stop him. He had never been kind to her, and yet here she was trying to get his attention. "You're killing yourself slowly, you know? By smoking?"

He looked back at her and smirked. "Yeah, I know."

Katara was caught off guard for a moment, and then she looked away, back out to the path she had just taken. She looked back at him. "Put it out."

"What?"

"Put. It. Out," she said, "Now. _Please_." She couldn't believe she was telling him what to do. _I'm digging my own grave,_ she realized.

"Wha—No! Don't tell me what to do." Zuko was getting angry; she could hear it in his voice. No longer was he just playing around with her, he was really angry.

Katara looked him in the eyes now, blue meeting gold. "Fine. Kill your stupid liver and lungs. See what I care, you idiot." She spun around on her heels, but before she walked off, she glanced back at him over her shoulder, her glare scornful. "I'm sure your uncle's very proud of the habit."

She walked off, leaving him with wide eyes. As she disappeared around the corner, he glanced down at his hand holding the cigarette in thought. He rolled his eyes and dropped the cigarette onto the concrete ground, snubbing it out with his boot.

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**Review Answers/Comments/Stuff:**  
Blonde-Gal: _(on ch.10)_ Can't you just picture it?! They always say that orange-juice makes bones stronger...and Zuko is definitely one muscle-iffic guy! _(on ch.11)_ Haha, glad you like the short Jetara action! Hope you liked this chapter, more Zuko/Katara action, I hope? Hey! At least Zuko was in it, right? Thanks for the reviews!  
ZUTARAlove: _(on ch.10)_ Oh no! You caught me! Haha, yes, it was a filler. I thought it would be nice for the readers to know what was goin' on with Sokka, Gran-Gran, and Aang during Chapter 9. Thanks for the review! _(on ch.11) _Yeah he did, isn't Jet so thoughtful? Haha. Glad you liked the last chapter, thanks for the review!  
fleeting.ideas: Glad you liked the advance on Jetara and Suka! Hope you liked this chapter, as well! Thanks for the review!  
Angelfly06: Thanks for the review, I hope you enjoyed this chapter as much as you did the last! 


	14. Chapter 13

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss 

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender...all I own is this paper-clip. All bow to the mighty paper-clip.

**Note:** This is a short chapter, I know. But its a follow-up to the last one. And to answer any of your questioning of this chapter: _No_, this is _not_ a filler chapter. This does have some meaning to it. Enjoy! The more reviews I get, the faster the next chapter will be put up! - U.B

* * *

**Chapter 13:**

"Uncle?"

Iroh glanced up from his work at the kitchen table, looking at his nephew curiously. "Yes, Zuko?"

Zuko was leaning casually against the kitchen counter, a piece of watermelon in his hand. He was studying it, not meeting his uncle's eyes. Iroh looked at his nephew expectantly, and repeated his question.

Zuko looked up at his uncle, and found that the words he had planned on saying were caught in his throat. His eyes narrowed, and he shut them tightly. He pushed himself violently from the counter and slammed the watermelon into the metal sink, making it splatter on the pane. "Forget it," he growled as he passed his uncle, and up the steps.

_Stupid girl,_ he thought angrily, _Stupid girl and her stupid words. Stupid girl and her…stupidness!_


	15. Chapter 14

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss 

**Disclaimer:** Roses are red, Violets are blue, I don't own Avatar, so please don't sue!

**Quick Note:** Right now, I am loving life and in a very good mood!! Sorry this is short. This one in the last one are two of the only real short ones for a while. Lo siento everyone! Enjoy! -U.B

**P.S:** Thanks to powderedsugar for correcting some spelling mistakes!!

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**Chapter 14:**

She was walking down the hall, her arms full of books. Her eyes were downcast, she wasn't looking up. That didn't matter. He was getting so close to gaining his courage. He _would_ gain his courage. It was so close. He felt he was so close. Sometime, he felt as if he had enough to ask her, and then he would wimp out when her brown eyes met his blue. _But by the end of this week, I'll be ready,_ he said to himself.

He watched her pass. It was his free-period…she would be heading off to Geometry with Katara this period. He wondered if he should carry her books for her…they seemed too heavy. And her backpack sagged behind her, as if she carried her whole locker with her.

It looked painful.

But he couldn't even muster enough courage in himself to do that minor task. They had been talking a lot this week, but it was just Wednesday. He still had two more days before he could complete his goal. _And I will complete my goal…_

She turned a corner, and disappeared.

_I will…_


	16. Chapter 15

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. There, I said it.

**Quick Note:** Not one of my better chapters, I admit...but this one is good in the fact that it moves the first story along further to how I want it to end. Oh yeah, did I mention I want to make this fanfic a small series like in the show? First fanfic you're introduced to all the major characters. Second is going to be just like the second season; we'll meet some new characters and lose some. And...well...I'm not so sure if there will be a third (because by then most of the major characters will be graduated...) But yeah. Is this two-part story thing a good idea? Oh, and thanks for the awesome reviews!! They make me feel special. -chibi smile-

--U.B

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**Chapter 15:**

Aang walked slowly toward his locker, his eyes downcast. It was hard, not speaking to her. It was hard, not being able to look at her. But he felt that he was beginning to understand himself. Why he wasn't able to look at her since the fight in the alley? Why he can't talk to her without his voice trailing off? He was beginning to understand it all.

He turned the corner leading to the hall with his locker, but stopped short when he looked up from the floor and saw who was standing there, innocently leaning against his locker, a book tucked between her chest and her crossed arms.

He gulped and brought up his courage; no doubt she was there to talk to him. About everything. He approached slowly, and let out a breath of defeat when he came three feet from her, causing her to look up in surprise.

"Oh…umm…Aang, hi. What brings you here?" Katara said, her voice a little too high and a little too fast.

Was she nervous?

"This is my locker," Aang said, pointing at the metal wall she was leaning against so casually.

Katara glanced back at the lockers, and her cheeks flushed as she pushed herself off of them. "Oh yeah."

Aang looked at her a moment before having to look away, almost guiltily, to look at the lockers. "What are you doing here?" he asked her.

Katara watched as he turned away from her, and she saddened. Aang hadn't looked at her…nor talked to her…in such a long time. It was beginning to hurt. Instead of answering his question, she dove into a more reasonable conversation starter: randomness.

"I have a field hockey game today," she said, "right after school. It's home." She wasn't going to ask him to come, but maybe he would? Her pride was too much for her to just ask.

Aang opened his locker and began pulling out the books from his bag and replacing them with the books he needed for that night's homework. Without looking at her, he answered, "Aren't your games usually on Tuesdays and Fridays?"

Katara sighed inwardly at this prospect; at least he was talking. "Yeah, but they couldn't play tomorrow so now we have a game today. It's against the rival school."

Aang glanced at her. "Maybe…" he paused. He was enjoying this short, if not random, conversation as much as she was, and felt a new hope bubbling from inside of him. "You guys will get a good crowd this time," he said. Or in other words: I'll come.

Katara felt herself want to jump up and hug Aang. This was going to take some time. "So…how was _your_ day?" she pressed.

Aang thought of the bullying he had been encountering with seniors and a few juniors (Zuko) and decided he would jump right into that with her. "It was okay."

"…Just okay?"

"Yeah."

An awkward silence fell, and Katara opened her mouth to say something else when suddenly someone jumped her from behind. Their arms wrapped around her shoulders excitedly, and she turned her head slightly and recognized the person as a teammate from field hockey.

"Hey, Katara! You ready about that game today? Only one more period left!"

"Yeah, it'll be fun," Katara said as she pried the girl's arms off of her.

"Fun!? We'll totally kick their asses! This year, we'll be the winners!" The girl whooped, throwing her fists in the air.

Katara smiled kindly. "Yeah we will! But hey, its passing period, and I have to head out. I'll see you at the game," she glanced at Aang, "See you later, Aang!"

Aang, a little confused and dazed by this new student in front of him, nodded, "See you later, Katara!"


	17. Chapter 16

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss 

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

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**Chapter 16:**

Zuko sat against the wall, his eyes downcast. A lit cigarette rested between the nook of his index finger and middle. It looked normal there, as if it was the most natural place for the cigarette to be. He sighed, set the back of his head against the wall, and brought the cigarette to his mouth.

He was wearing his black, Three Days Grace hoody today, with his black pants. He had been chewed out by the teachers today for the pants. They said it wasn't the correct wear at school, and that he should go home to change.

He told them to fuck off.

That had gained him detention, which he was gladly ditching to sit in his normal ally way to have a relaxing cigarette. So he could get lost in his own blissful turmoil.

He drew the cigarette away from his mouth, and the movement was followed by a plume of smoke. He sighed and slowly shut his eyes. His scar was hurting today. He brought his free hand up and touched the wrinkled, scarred flesh with two fingers, nudging it and wincing slightly at the feel.

That's when he felt it. The pair of eyes watching him. His eyes opened slowly and his head moved to the left, and he saw the one sight he hadn't wanted to see. There, standing at the entrance of the alley, her sports bag in hand and her silly little blue field hockey stick in the other, stood Katara.

She was just standing there, looking at him with a look mixed of sadness, anger, and a bit of remorse. Just standing there. Looking at him, her eyes half-lidded.

"Hey…" he began, "What are you—"At the sound of his voice, she jumped and her eyes swiftly narrowed.

She shook her head slowly, turned on her heels, and walked away.


	18. Chapter 17

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss 

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**Note:** Looky, looky! Chapter 17!! I honestly had no idea I was going to update this story this far. And we're even catching up to how far I've written so far! This just means that I'm gonna have to write even faster and harder, and I have so much planned for the next few chapters! Its gonna be so intense!! I can't wait! -U.B

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**Chapter 17:**

This was his chance. A Friday morning; he had just woken up, just gotten to school, and he felt fresh. Fresh, and ready for a challenge. With determination in his step, Sokka walked toward her locker. Number 215. Blue locker, like all the rest, but it had its own number.

It's what set it out from the rest.

As he turned the corner to face her locker, she was there. Wearing a sweater, a t-shirt, a blue-jean skirt with black leggings underneath. Her brown hair, cropped to her chin, was pulled into a half ponytail atop her head. It was a mix-matched outfit, and some people would despise it for breaking some sort of fashion rule…

But Sokka loved it.

As he walked up, he felt his courage drop. One by one, the many levels of courage he had gained over the week dissipated. She was just sitting there, leaning against her locker. Not seeing him coming up.

And she had a smile on her face.

Why was she smiling like that this early in the morning? Sure, Sokka was pretty happy but he wasn't _that_ happy.

And then he heard her laugh and it was soon followed up by another laugh. A very masculine laugh. Sokka stopped in his tracks, his eyes widened. There, standing in front of Suki, an arm outstretched with a hand pressing against the locker next to her head, stood a teenager in her class.

He wore a blue bandanna over long brown hair that was pulled back into a ponytail. He wore a blue t-shirt that was taught over a masculine upper body, and wore baggy blue jeans.

He said something, and she laughed again.

Sokka turned, and walked back the way he had come.

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**Reviews:**  
teenfox: Thanks for the review!  
SavageGardenFan: Interesting name. And yes, it seems that Katara is getting to him, doesn't it? That's what we all hope, though. Can't be sure with Zuzu though. Thanks for the view!  
Veglma: OO You made a dent in the wall. Haha. Yes, Zuzu's still smoking. And Katara just so happens to walk up on him when he is most out of it AND smoking. Poor Katara. Thanks for the review!!

**Note:** Thanks for all the lovely reviews, everyone! But I'm just gonna go out on a whim here and say that I won't update the story until I get...oh...six (6) reviews for this chapter. I'm so cruel, ne? Gomen nasai, but I want to see what happens. So keep those lovely reviews coming!


	19. Chapter 18

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss 

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**Note:** Thanks for the reviews, you guys! I didn't actually think I'd get six before the weekend ended. But I did! And I like to update over weekends, so...this really works. Haha. Anyways, thanks for the reviews. Some of you are curious of when the 'Zutara-ness' of the story will show its lovely head. My answer to you is: As soon as I get the characters to the point that I want. I don't want to spoil nothin' for ya'll, so ya'll are goin' to have to be patient. Haha. It'll all come together soon enough. I hope. XD -U.B

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**Chapter 18:**

She leaned back against her seat, her pen tapping the table. She was so tired today, and all she could think was: _Thank the gods it's a Friday._

And also:_ Thank the gods for free periods._

Oh, and also: _Thank goodness we won our game yesterday! That means no practice today!_

She sighed and dropped her pen on the desk, slowly lowering her head to the tabletop and shutting her eyes. Yes, free period was a harmony one could only enjoy if they were tired, had no homework to be fuddled with, and if they had no worries about social chain.

She had none of her friends in her free period.

And it was a Friday. Cloudy, but not too cloudy, and it was cool. A fresh October day.

It was nice.

Until, that is, someone sat in the chair next to her, slamming their book bag down beside her. She lifted her head slightly in surprise, and looked into golden eyes.

He was looking at her so oddly, and she straightened in her chair, placing her hands in her lap uneasily. She looked down at the book she had placed aside earlier, and then looked back at him. He was just looking at her, a frown creasing his face, his golden eyes narrowed.

"Umm…hi?"

He said nothing, and her eyes were drawn to the scar on his left eye. He had no eyebrow above that eye, the scarred flesh covering some of the upper forehead and the lower cheek of his left side of the face. She quickly moved her sight away when she realized she was staring, back down to the book.

_Awkward…_

That was the only word leaving her mind at this point. She sighed heavily and looked back at him. He was still looking at her, but now she was aware of another pair of eyes watching her. She turned her head slightly, and saw a flow of skirt material and a brown ponytail disappear around the corner. Her eyes narrowed in thought, but a gruff voice beside her made her jump and look back at him.

"I'll be coming by tomorrow," he grumbled, "for that project I have to do with that brainless brother of yours."

"Sokka is _not_ brainless!" Katara said angrily.

Zuko stood. "Whatever. Just make sure he gets the message."

Katara blinked, and then he was gone.

Once more, that single word flitted past her mind and once more her head was placed against the tabletop, a puzzled look on her face.

_Awkward._


	20. Chapter 19

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. I'm not that brilliant.

**Note:** Oooh, you guys are going to be so excited about the next few chapters!! Like, no joke. And guess what? Normally I don't update _twice_ in a weekend-- But I might this weekend!! Do you know why? Because I am so excited about these next few chapters. -bounces in chair- Enjoy!  
-U.B

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**Chapter 19:**

Katara walked slowly down the halls, a flimsy piece of bleach white paper in her hands. She wasn't paying attention where she was going, just walked on. Down the hall. Dodge the girl with her boyfriend. Duck under the jocks as they threw a football across the passage. She knew the patterns of after school life by heart by now.

She just wasn't used to the bleach white piece of paper in her hands with the big, red letter printed at the front.

F.

She was now failing her history class. The thought killed her. She was so good in history, normally! She loved the world's history. The Roman Empire, the Crusades, the revolutions! She loved everything that had to do with history…

Just not the wars. She hated learning about war. Hated everything about it. And, as it turned out, this whole rest of the quarter and the beginning of the next had to do with wars. And she had just failed a major test, thus making her grade a failing one.

Her teacher had suggested getting a tutor. Katara had never had a tutor before. How did she get one, anyways? And how did they get the name 'tutor'? It was a puzzling train of thought that was getting her nowhere fast.

She looked up from her pacing and turned, because someone had just called her name. As she searched behind her, she turned and walked backward, her eyes narrowed in concentration. That's when she ran into someone from behind and she fell forward. She turned on the balls of her feet and looked down at the young man she had bumped into. "Haru! Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry!" Katara knelt down and began picking up his books that had fell, while he stumbled to gather hers.

Haru picked up a stray piece of paper and glanced at it, and then grimaced horribly. Katara flushed and grabbed the test from his hand, crumbling it in her fist. "Sorry," Haru said, "I didn't mean…I mean…"

"It's okay. It's not your fault I got an 'F'."

Haru stood and Katara followed, handing him his books while he handed hers back in return. Haru looked to be thinking a moment, and Katara was about to scoot passed him, but he began talking again. "Hey…do you need a tutor?"

Katara blinked and glanced over at him. "Um…yeah, actually. Do you know any good ones?"

"I could tutor you!" Haru said, his voice excited, "I took that class last year and it's a pain in the…"

"Haru! You would do that?" Katara looked at him in anticipation, now. This would be great!

Haru grinned. "Hey, it's the least I could do after you helped me look for my father last year! Consider it just part of that pay-back."

Katara grinned. "Deal!"

When Haru was born, his father had disappeared and, although his mother had managed to raise Haru up lovingly and with good pay, Haru still did not have a fatherly feature in his life. So, after joining the culture and heritage club at school last year and after befriending Katara there, the two together supervised a small search for his father. It had turned out that wherever his father was, he was leaving money in a specific bank account for a certain budget (that Haru's mother later identified as Haru's college funds) in Texas. Haru had been so excited that he had probably found his father; he jumped right on a plane and flew to the town in Texas. There, he was able to track down his father.

Doesn't seem possible? Yeah, Katara was surprised and a little bewildered by the outcome of the mission as well. She had considered the whole ordeal a project for the club…something that would be fun to mess around with. She never would have guessed to actually finding Haru's father. And now he was happily re-married with Haru's mother, and are expecting another baby in about seven months.

"Awesome! We'll start Saturday, alright? Saturday noon sharp, got it, Katara?"

Katara blinked at the excitement that was almost literally flowing off the boy like a waterfall. The tips of her lips pulled upward into a lovely grin and she said, "Sure thing. Noon sharp tomorrow."

"I'll take you to my house. It'll probably be quieter there. Sokka's doing that project thing on Saturdays, right?"

Katara thought for a moment, and was reminded of the 'conversation' she had had with Zuko earlier in her free period. She hadn't even thought about it at the time…but it just occurred to her that Zuko had the same free as herself. How come she had never seen him before during that period? A grimace turned her grin lopsided; she probably never saw him because he was smoking in some alley.

"Is Saturday not a good day…?" Haru asked uneasily when her smile had faded.

"No, its fine, Haru. I'll see you then."

He grinned. "At noon."

Katara nodded and began to walk away. "At noon."


	21. Chapter 20

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. I also don't own the shows: Jerry Springer or Dr. Phil or Jack Ass. Thank goodness for that.

**Note: **Last update of this weekend. The _second _update. People, this is _huge_. We are offically three chapters behind how far I am currently at in my story. _Three chapters behind_. I'm catching up to myself! And I am so excited about the chapters coming after the three that we are behind. Super _ubber_ excited. So, enjoy this chapter of Sokka angst and leave some lovin' for the author (you know you wanna)! -U.B**

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**

**Chapter 20:**

Sokka flipped through the guide on the television. There were a thousand channels, but _nothing_ was on. How was that even _possible_?

_Super way to end a super day,_ thought Sokka coldly as his mind was once again drawn back to early that day when he was going to ask the girl he loved out, and ran into her laughing and talking with another guy._ And a guy from her grade,_ he thought sadly, _He'd probably be a better boyfriend than me, anyways._

Sokka finally found a TV show that he thought would be the best to watch in his mood—Dr. Phil—and leaned back into the couch in the television room. His feet propped up on the coffee table casually; he ignored Katara who decided to sit beside him with a bowl of fresh popcorn in her hands.

Sokka ignored Katara's confused and irritated expression that was directed at the show, but was forced to glance at her as he heard the crunch of popcorn. Katara glanced at him, but Sokka did not make his usual move to the popcorn and instead moved his gaze back to the TV. He knew that he was worrying his sister; he hadn't spoken since this morning…before he had begun to make his 'move'.

The remote was removed from his leg, and the channel suddenly changed from Dr. Phil to Jack Ass.

"I was watching that," Sokka ground out angrily, not removing his eyes from the screen.

"Yeah, well Dr. Phil is depressing. You like this show better, anyways." Another crunch of popcorn.

"Change it back," Sokka ordered.

"No."

"Change it back, Katara."

"N-O: no."

Sokka glared at his sister. "_Please_ change it back.."

Katara threw another piece of popcorn into her mouth. "If you're going to watch some sort of talk show watch Jerry Springer!" She changed the channel to Jerry Springer, which just so happened to be on. "It's much more violent."

Sokka pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. But his sister had a point.

"So, what's the matter?"

"Nothing" was the immediate answer.

"I know something's wrong. I'm your sister. I know these things."

Sokka looked at the TV screen, but he didn't watch. He heard Katara, but he tried not to listen. "…Please, Sokka? Just talk to me? Was it something I did? Are you mad that Haru's going to be my tutor?"

Sokka swiveled his head around to face his sister. "Haru's tutoring you?! In what class?"

Katara smiled brightly, happy to get another reaction out of her grim-faced brother. "History. Are you going to disapprove, Mother?"

Sokka pouted even more and returned his eyes to the screen. "No," he mumbled.

Katara's eyes saddened. "Is it because Zuko is coming over tomorrow afternoon for the project? Are you stressed because—?"

"It's Suki, alright?!" her brother yelled out, interrupting her.

Katara frowned at his answer. "What happened with Suki?"

"I was…" Sokka paused and glanced at his sister for a long time, before looking back at the TV screen. "I _was_ going to ask her out today."

Katara squealed, clapping her hands in excitement. "That's—!" Her voice cut off in realization. "Wait…you _were_ going to ask her out? What the hell happened?"

The crowd in the screen began screaming: "Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!"

"Sokka—!"

"I was going to ask her out this morning, when we got to school. But when I got over to her locker…" Katara's eyes saddened. She had a feeling she knew where this was going. "She was talking with some guy from your grade…uhg, I can't even remember his name."

"They call him Foamy," she said softly. Sokka looked at her in confusion. "He's been crazy about Suki since before I can remember. In third grade, Suki kissed him on the cheek for returning her stuffed animal to her. He was so excited; he started foaming at the mouth. Thus, he's called Foamy." Katara laughed softly, a handful of popcorn lifted to her mouth as her eyes watched the Jerry Springer bodyguards pull a young man off of his mother. But she wasn't paying attention to the screen.

"D-Does Suki…?" Sokka was unable to finish his sentence.

"Suki doesn't like him, Sokka." Katara looked over at her brother, warmth filling her ocean-blue eyes that were so much like her mother's. "She likes you. She _likes_ you, Sokka. She considers Foamy more of a friend than anything. She's been waiting for you to make a move."

Sokka's eyes saddened for a moment. _She's been…waiting for me?_ "For how long?" he wondered aloud.

Katara grinned. "Long enough."

Sokka frowned a minute, but then he grinned as well. _Well then…_ "Give me some of that popcorn, you pig!"


	22. Chapter 21

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss 

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Too bad, so sad.

**Note:** I just wanted everyone to know I'm in a pretty dress right now. I don't wear dresses often. And the only reason I'm wearing it is because it has _pockets_. They're hidden in the front, but they are there!! BWAH HA!! Its pretty, my mom can't complain, and it has pockets. Rock on! Oh, its the moment ya'll have been waiting for! Hope you enjoy! -U.B

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**Chapter 21:**

Katara sat at the kitchen table, leaning over a new _People_ magazine her grandmother had managed to grab at a store the night before. Aang sat in front of her, on the other side of the table, a bowl of cereal in front of him as he rubbed his still sleepy eyes with a fisted hand. Sokka was still not up.

That sleepy head.

"You doing anything today, Aang?" Katara prompted, scooting her empty bowl of cereal to the side as she leaned curiously onto the table.

Aang lifted his eyes from the bowl and he grinned. He was happy they were talking again. "No," he said, "are you?"

Katara shook her head. "Maybe we should go to the mall today. You know, hang out a little? Go to Hot Topic and find you a new beanie or something?"

"You don't like Hot Topic, Katara," Aang reminded her simply.

"That doesn't mean I can't go shopping there with you." She frowned. There was something she was forgetting. Something important…

She slapped her forehead with her hand. "Damn it—excuse my language," she apologized quickly, "but I can't go to the mall. At least not until later. I'm going to Haru's house today."

Aang's eyebrows rose, a bit of jealousy rising in his gut. "But Haru isn't in your class…he's not even in your grade!"

Katara shrugged. "He's been in the class," she said simply, waving a hand in the air as if to wave the subject off.

At that very moment, the doorbell rang.

Katara blinked.

Aang blinked.

Katara looked up at the kitchen clock hanging above the sink. It wasn't noon yet. It was nearly nine thirty! The doorbell rang again.

Aang looked at Katara curiously, who returned the look with an equally confused stare.

And then it hit her. Katara slammed her forehead once again with the palm of her hand as she rushed to get up, knocking down her chair. "Aang, go wake up Sokka. His _project partner_ is here."

Aang lifted a finger and opened his mouth to stop Katara, but she was already out of her chair and into the entry-way.

**-O-**

He was seriously considering ringing the doorbell a third time, or perhaps hammering his fist into the door. Hadn't he specifically told that little twit of a sophomore that he was coming in the morning to restart the project with her brother? Hadn't he specifically told her to tell her brother for him?

He wanted to slam his head repeatedly against the door, but before he got the chance, he heard a feminine voice on the other side: "I'm coming, I'm _coming_! My gods, hold your horses!"

Zuko leaned casually against the door frame as he listened as the locks in the door were unbolted. The door opened and Zuko almost stumbled backward in surprise. But that wasn't how Zuko would react to such a sight, so instead he just stood where he was up against the door frame, a smirk spreading across his lips, for there stood Katara, in all her pajama glory.

She was wearing white pajama shorts with pink and blue vertical stripes with a blue string to tie it around her waist. As a top she wore a blue spaghetti-strapped cami with the words "Princess" printed across the front in clear sparkly-white. Her hair, for once, was down in a tendril of pale-chocolate brown waves. It was a perfect sight, and it woke Zuko up to the fact that the girl in front of him had a perfect figure.

He felt his cheeks warm, but he fought down the blush and instead just smirked.

He could tell he was making the girl in front of him nervous. She had a strange look on her face, and so Zuko decided to speak: "Good morning, _Princess_."

Her cheeks flared pink and he noticed how her tanned skin looked lovely in the morning light, and he found himself licking his dry lips as he straightened from where he stood against the frame.

"Good morning," she squeaked, as she unconsciously tried to pull the edges of her shorts down lower, as if to hide the improper show of leg which was undoubtedly not supposed to be noticed by Zuko, but he found himself very observant that morning and couldn't help but notice the length.

"Umm, can I come in? It's not just a little cold out here." Then he smirked, oh, how he was going to love this next comment. No matter how crude and immature it was. He spoke in a false British accent: "In fact, it's a 'tit' bit 'nippley' out here."

Katara's cheeks flared red once more and she stepped back without a word, opening the door wide for him. He stepped into the house and looked around. Where was that dumb brother and that damn monk, anyways?

"He's asleep," she said softly as if she had read his mind, "Sokka's asleep. Aang went to go wake him up. Go to the living room. He'll be there in a minute." She made her way as if to go upstairs, but he spoke instead.

"Are you just going to leave me down here? What a lousy job at being a hostess. Surely your mother taught you better."

Katara froze on the first step, and her hand clenched the railing of the stairs case until her knuckles turned white. Zuko's one eyebrow arched curiously. Had he hit a note?

She turned her head only slightly, but he still could not see her face from over her shoulder; her hair was hiding it. "I'm sorry," her voice sounded hoarse, but when she continued, it took on an ice-cold tone that made him a little frightened, "I'll try better. I just thought I'd make myself decent enough first. Or, do you like me this way? Do you want a drink? A seat? Do you want me to rub your feet for you? Or give you a _lap dance_?"

Suddenly she was turned to face him. "What is being a good hostess anyways, right? I mean, I guess I haven't been the best. But it's kind of hard when the guest is the biggest _ass_ in the whole _city_! I mean: _gods above_! Forgive me for being such a terrible hostess! You know what, just for you, I'll go put on that skimpy little maid's outfit I just so happen to have _laying around_ and come right back and serve you up a nice hot cup of coffee or something. How'd you like that?"

And then, she did the craziest thing.

She smiled.

And it wasn't one of those 'Haha, just kidding' smiles.

This was an _evil_ smile.

And it was creepy.

"Umm, Katara?" a voice came from upstairs.

She suddenly turned back to look up the steps, and there was Sokka and Aang, looking down at her with bewildered looks.

Zuko moaned inwardly. What a perfect way to start of _his_ day.


	23. Chapter 22

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss 

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Too bad, so sad.

**Note:** We've finally caught up to my original document. So now, chapters won't be coming as fast as they were. But this is good. It'll be keeping ya'll on the edge of your seats! Especially now that Zuko has-- So thanks for reading so far, you guys! Wish me luck on my final exams!! Enjoy this chapter! -U.B

* * *

**Chapter 22:**

Katara pulled her legs up to her chest, her eyes watching the street from where she sat on their front porch on the swinging chair. It rocked back and forth as she waited for Haru to come pick her up.

She no longer adorned her pajamas. She now wore the new Boyfriend Pants from the Gap and a band T-shirt. A Three Days Grace t-shirt, to be exact. It was her favorite band.

She glanced down at her watch for the twentieth time in five minutes. It was 12:05. He was five minutes late. She placed her chin on her knees and watched the road.

He wasn't coming.

The door opened and out stepped the last person she wanted to see: Zuko. He walked forward and leaned against a post, pulled out a cigarette, and lit it. Katara frowned darkly and decided to speak up; perhaps she could scare him by surprising him. "This is a non-smoking area."

He didn't jump. He just merely glanced at her, released a puff of smoke, and smirked. "My apologies." But he didn't look earnest in the least as he put the cigarette to his lips once more.

Katara grimaced at the smell and lowered her cheek to her knees, wrapping her arms around her legs. Okay, so it _was_ cold.

She probably should go inside and get a jacket.

"Why are you out here?" she asked softly.

"Your brother's driving me crazy."

Katara nodded.

"Why are _you_ out here?" he asked.

She glanced up at him and said simply, "I'm being picked up."

"Oh, a date?" he guessed.

"Not that it's any of your business," she ground out, and then she sighed, "No, it's not a date. I'm being tutored."

"On a Saturday," he said flatly.

Katara looked up angrily and nodded. "So what? Saturday _nights_ are my party nights. Not the day."

He smirked. "Not a morning person?"

Katara scoffed. "Never. I get up just fine in the morning; I don't sleep in. I love getting about, getting stuff done." She sighed wistfully. She wished today was one of those days that she could just sit on the couch and watch movies. She needed one of those days.

He nodded and she found him sitting next to her on the chair. He glanced at her, and his eyebrow quirked. "You like Three Days Grace?"

She glanced down at the red and black shirt, and then back at him and asked quizzically, "You've heard of them?"

"They're one of my favorites," he said reluctantly.

She couldn't believe she was having a civil conversation with him. _Wasn't I just fighting with him about three hours ago?_ "Yeah, they're one of mine too." She grinned hesitantly.

He nodded and then leaned back in the chair, swinging it slowly back and forth with the force of his pushes. "Funny." He looked deep in thought.

"Huh? Why?"

He looked at her. "I don't picture you being…uh…into that sort of music."

Katara let out a laugh and shook her head. "Blame Suki for that. Man, if it wasn't for her, I wouldn't be into Evanescence or Flyleaf or Three Days Grace or any of them."

He studied her curiously. "Why do—"

"Ah! Haru's here!" Katara put her foot on the ground to stop the rocking and then she got up, pulling her shirt down self-consciously. She opened the front door and grabbed her book bag from where it sat inside and yelled, "I'm going!"

"Call me when you're on your way home!" was Gran-Gran's response from the kitchen.

Smiling, Katara shut the door and turned to walk down the porch steps to make her way to the car.

"I should probably go inside, then…"

Zuko was standing, and she suddenly turned around as she stepped down the steps to see him. She grinned. "If I don't see you," she waved, "Bye!" And then she was running toward an olive green Jeep Eclipse.


	24. Chapter 23

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. Come weep with me.

**Note:** Umm, sorry it took so long. And it's not even a five page chapter! This thing was one and a fifth pages long on Microsoft Word. Pathetic. And I'm really sorry. This is just a side story, trying to get things along with Sokka and Suki. Chapters will _probably_ be longer now that summer has started. Freshman year is officially over!! And I'm officially the big 1-6! And I'm in Driver's Ed (which means that it'll be harder for me to get chapters up, but I shall try!). So, yeah. But I hope ya'll enjoy this chapter. Despite its...petitness (the chapter doesn't like to be called short). OH! And thank you all for your lovely reviews in the last chapter! For those of you who are into Three Days Grace, check out Rise Against. They sound like Three Days Grace...but they aren't as hot. Which is a total drag. Anyways, thanks for reviewing and I hope all of you enjoy this _petite_ chapter. -U.B

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**Chapter 23:**

Weekends were so utterly boring. So, so, _so_ totally boring. Especially when Katara couldn't come over to watch some chick-flicks. Said best friend was too busy "studying" with Haru. Suki scoffed silently in her little cave of blankets, where she sat on her couch warm and snug and watching The Lake House.

It was a ritual! They always watched chick flicks on a certain Saturday every other month. A _ritual_! And Katara had suckered out of this one because "she needed to get her F grade up". Suki sneered under her blankets as she popped another Life Saver candy into her mouth. Who was Katara kidding? Katara _never_ got F's. She was an almost-A student! And she had suckered out of Chick Flick Saturday to be with a _boy_.

What a lousy best friend.

At that moment, the doorbell rang. Suki popped her head up from her blankets to look at the front door, which lay just beyond the closed door of her living room. Intrigued, she paused the movie to listen. If it was Katara, she would ring twice, and then knock once. Silly, but it was what Katara did. Every time. No matter what.

The doorbell rang again. Suki began to get excited. She leaned forward. In anticipation. Then it came (after a long exaggerated pause): one solid knock. Suki shot up from the couch, blankets falling everywhere. She lurched forward, but her feet were entangled in her favorite My Little Pony sleeping bag, which she had unzipped to use as a blanket, and she fell face forward down to the ground with a startled yelp.

But she quickly pushed herself up. "I'm okay," she told herself, as she ran to the front door. "I'm coming, Katara," she called. She was so happy her best friend dumped the Haru to come watch Chick Flick Movies. Was Suki clingy normally? No. But Katara had cancelled at the last minute, crushing any hopes of trying to make a plan with her best friend on getting rid of Foamy.

As she opened the door, she heard a chuckle—a _masculine_ chuckle—and then a, "It's not Katara." As she swung the door open with wide eyes, the sight that greeted her was, in fact, probably better than Katara. "But you were mighty close." There, on her doorstep, stood Sokka Kurasawa. "Nice PJ's."

Suki's face reddened, but she didn't slam the door in his face. See, Sokka had seen Suki in her pajamas _before_, way too many times, when Suki had bunked with Katara in order to get out of her hectic family life. "Why, thank you, Sokka." She looked at him now in confusion. "But…why are you here?"

Sokka leaned against her doorframe casually and said, "Well, Katara told me all about this 'ritual' you two have…"

"Chick Flick Saturday," supplied Suki simply.

Sokka looked at her strangely, before grinning and saying, "Yeah, Chick… Flick …Saturday. Anyways, Katara told me all about it and asked me if it would be alright if I just dropped over here to give you some 'Forgive-Me-Please Chocolates'. Either that or stay and watch some sappy chick flicks with you."

_Shouldn't she have asked if it was alright with _me? Suki wondered in awe.

"But since I happened to eat all the chocolates on my way here—You know, I got _lost_ trying to find your house? I've been to your house millions of times, and I've never gotten lost!—Since I ate all the chocolates, I guess I'll have to stay and watch some flicks." He grinned.

Suki was silent for a long moment, and Sokka began to inch off the doorpost a little embarrassingly. "…I can…go get you some more 'Forgive-Me-Please' Chocolates…two, in fact, because I'll be needing you to forgive this, too, right?"

"No!" She said, grabbing hold of his arm as he began to turn. She tugged on him softly, her face as red as a tomato. "Come watch some movies with me." She grinned devilishly. "Besides, watching chick flicks for a guy is worse than buying chocolates for a girl."

Sokka grinned. "Alright, then."

_Katara: The_ best_. Best. Friend. Ever._


	25. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**Note:** Okay, before anyone chews me out for posting such a small chapter, read this. I've been having some issues lately, that I myself can't really disipher. This chapter has been sitting in my e-mail (me having to e-mail it to myself is a pain in the butt, but hey, I couldnt find my little USB port thing and yadda yadda) for the past...however long its been. I have my reasons for not posting. One of which is that I'm having issues with myself. Another is that family issues are a reoccurring subject right now. Sooo, I've been having problems writing anything for this story, because I'm trying to keep it up-beat and realistic. When in reality, right at the moment, I'm writing some things that would be considered...for this story...useless. And upsetting. But I'm in a rare good mood right now, and have decided that, along with this chapter, a Zutara-filled one will be right after. This next chapter will hopefully be longer, and will be in Zuko's point of view. I hope you guys will enoy the next chapter, I know this one kind of sucks. But I needed Haru to say what he did, to get the story moving along. So once again, sorry, and thank you all for your lovely reviews. I love that you love this story that much. -U.B

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**Chapter 24:**

Haru unlocked the front door and Katara stepped in beside him. She was immediately met with the mouth-watering scent of cookies, fresh out of the oven. She breathed in heavily, and let out a breath of air in content. Haru's house always smelled like fresh baking cookies. It was strange, but so refreshing.

"Mom, I'm home!"

"Did you pick up Katara?" asked a short woman as she waddled into the living room, which the front door opened up to. Katara recognized her as Haru's mother.

"Yeah, Mom, I got her." Haru's mother smiled warmly at Katara before retreating back into the kitchen. Haru looked over to Katara with a proud look on his face, "She's eight months now, did you know?"

"I thought she was only about three or four!" Katara gasped.

Haru shook his head. "Come on," and he led her toward the living room, where a large, green marble table sat waiting for them. Katara sat her book bag in a black, wooden chair and seated herself beside it. Haru sat close beside her, and she wiggled in her seat uncomfortably.

And so, three hours passed, and Katara felt as if she had gotten nothing done. By the time Haru's car pulled into her driveway, Katara was ready to watch movies with Suki, or go to the mall with Aang…or even, if worse came to worse, clean Momo's play pen. She shuddered at the thought.

Haru pulled the car in 'park', and leaned back into the tan, leather chairs. Katara unbuckled herself and began to open the door, but Haru stopped her, his eyes hard as he gazed at her. "The Halloween bash is coming up," he said.

Katara glanced at him uncertainly. "Yeah," she agreed. And then she smiled kindly at Haru and said, "I can't wait to pick out a costume."

Haru nodded, turning his face away from her as a soft blush filled his cheeks. He ran a hand over his face and then looked over at Katara with a big grin, "Do you have a date yet?"

Katara blinked and then seated herself back into the leather cushion, staring out the windshield at the garage door. _Who would I wait for to ask me out? Jet? I wouldn't go to another dance with him, even with my eyes blindfolded. I would still be able smell his musky, cheap cologne…_Katara looked over at Haru and said, "I don't. Why…don't you?" _I didn't even think the Halloween Bash required dates…_

Then Haru grinned over at Katara. "No," he replied, "I was actually hoping that you would go with me."

Katara smiled as sweetly as she could, "That sounds…" she hesitated, "great." When Haru's smile weakened at her unenthusiastic reply, Katara smiled even more brightly. "No, really. I'd love to go with you! Just call me two nights before, okay, and tell me what the deal is."

Haru's smile returned and he nodded. "Sure, see you on Monday!"

"Bye…" Katara stepped from the car and watched the olive green jeep drive away. She sighed heavily, readjusting her backpack, and walked up the steps and into her house.


	26. Chapter 25

_One of these Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**Note:** Okay, here's that super-ish long chapter I promised last night. Umm, there is some definite Zutara conflict. Zuko and Katara are'nt really sure what they're feeling right now. But I'm excited about writing the Halloween Bash chapter, which is up next. WHOO. Okay, let's see. Umm, I'll probably be able to write more now, since my little art class is over with and a little bit of the drama in my life has gone down. Thank you all for being so pacient with me. Its been a hard struggle lately, but I'm glad that most of you understand. Anyways, I'm hoping this'll be a longer chapter. Hopefully this'll appease most of you, like **SavageGardenFan**, who have been begging for a longer chapter. Anyways, enjoy. OH!! And thanks **SavageGardenFan**, for the hundredth review! That's right, folks, this little ol' story has reached 100 reviews. It makes me feel all warm and cuddly inside. So stick around after this chapter to read some review answers to the last chapter! Enjoy! -U.B

* * *

**Chapter 25:**

Zuko got to school especially early that Monday morning. So rare was it, in fact, for teachers to see the hothead even remotely near school building premises, he received many a suspicious glares before, finally, after receiving just as many glares in return, they gave up on trying to figure out what was up with the troubled teen and left him to his business.

Which, in the end, Zuko was thankful for. Because if a teacher found out why he really came to school early that Monday morning, and any morning afterward, his reputation would be brutally slaughtered. For, in fact, Zuko had come to school especially early so he could find out a specific locker number of a specific, blue-eyed schoolgirl.

See, after that conversation with said schoolgirl on Saturday, he couldn't seem to get what she had said out of his mind. She was so strange, this specimen of girl. Now, Zuko was no female expert, but he guessed that a girl of Katara's caliber did not go around listening to hard metal bands or screaming music. And, he just wanted to know more about her. She had interested him in a way no other girl had. And he wanted to know _more_.

So, just as Katara was walking into the building, Zuko found himself in front of locker number 356. A sturdy number, one that suited her…at least, in Zuko's stand-point. So as he situated himself just beside it, at locker 357, he watched students pass him by, going to their own lockers. Cheerleaders flirted with jocks across the halls, tech-nerds talked about the latest high-definition product in technology, and punks stood outside bathrooms, watching out for teachers that might pass by and smell the tangent scent of cigarette smoke. Other students just walked by, going to their usual, morning routines.

And he saw the familiar crowd. There was Katara's best friend, Suki, and that boy who pick her up for "tutoring" on Saturday…what was his name? Hazu? Baru? Something like that. He saw Jet pass by, giving Zuko a short wave and his all-familiar, trademark smirk. And then Zuko saw that little twirp, the one that always got away, the monk. They met eyes, and after a moment, recognition sparked in the young teen's eyes as he realized just where Zuko was standing. But before he could do anything at all, he was shoved forward by a sudden surge in the crowd.

Zuko smirked and continued watching the crowd pass. And then he saw her. First, he had heard her voice as she greeted someone down the hall. Her sleepy laugh followed soon after, and then he saw the familiar shade of coconut-brown hair, which was pulled back in, what he could only guess, a braid. As she neared closer, he noticed how she smiled groggily at a few jocks who greeted her as she passed.

And then she was opening her locker with a covered yawn. But she looked flabbergasted when, in response to her opening locker, it was slammed shut promptly afterward. She blinked at the pale blue metal in consternation, and then tried to open it again. Sneering, Zuko quickly shut it once again. This time, Katara looked more annoyed than anything else. Zuko chuckled, and she swung her head around to face him.

Her mouth opened in a silent 'o' of acknowledgment.

"Not too bright in the morning, are you, Sunshine?" he asked. "I thought you called yourself a morning person?"

Katara's chin immediately lifted into defiance, and Zuko's eyes narrowed in eagerness. She must've realized he was baiting her, and, instead of coming back with a hit, she glared at him and returned her gaze to her locker. As she reopened it, Zuko made himself comfortable against the locker beside hers.

"What are you doing at school, anyways?" she asked offhandedly, her voice a mixture of curiosity and annoyance.

Zuko shrugged. "Why, interest in learning, of course! Isn't that what this whole school thing is about?" He glanced over at the blue-eyed girl. She was putting many-a book into her backpack. "Damn, is your whole locker in that thing?"

Katara looked over at him. "These are books I need for my first two classes. Now, if you don't mind…" She shut her locker, swinging the backpack straps over her shoulder. Zuko's gaze hardened but he walked briskly in order catch up with her as she made her way down the hall, to what he guessed was her first class.

Katara stopped and swung around to look at him in irritation. "I'm sorry; I thought we were done talking…"

Zuko shrugged and said, "I'm just walking down the hall. Gosh, are you _ever_ paranoid." Katara blushed in either embarrassment or anger, Zuko couldn't tell, and she turned back around and walked away with determination.

Zuko smirked to himself and turned around, stuck his hands into his jacket's pockets, and walked in the other direction.

It wasn't until later that day, Zuko found her again. Sitting at that table she always sat at during her free period, Katara was leaning back in an uncomfortable, wooden chair reading. Zuko soon realized that the blue-eyed girl could always be found at this table, sometimes with two other girls, also reading, or by herself. But either way, she was always there during her free period.

Zuko casually pulled back a chair at her table, reached into his pocket, and pulled out _Mobey Dick_. He glanced at her from the corner of his eye, but she seemed to be enthralled in her own novel, so, shrugging, he returned to his.

It was about ten minutes later that, with a sigh of contentment, she closed her book and set it on the table. "A good book?" Zuko guessed aloud, smirking when he heard a startled gasp as Katara nearly fell out of her chair in surprise.

Looking around, Katara asked with narrowed eyes, "What are you _doing here_?"

Zuko blinked, and held up his book. "Reading," he answered simply.

Katara looked at him doubtfully. "You read," she said flatly.

Zuko looked back up at her from his book, "In fact I do," he answered simply.

Katara's eyes narrowed even more in suspicion. "I've been seeing you around a lot, haven't I?" she asked.

Zuko closed his book and leaned forward on the table, resting his chin in the palm of his hand. "I sure have been seeing _you_ around lately. Are you sure you aren't stalking me?"

Katara's mouth opened, then closed, and then she glared at him. "Stop trying to bait me."

Zuko blinked innocently. "I'm not trying to_ bait _anyone," he explained, "I just came here to read. And you are interrupting me."

Katara looked down guiltily. "Sorry," she said, her voice once again flat. She pulled out a math book from her bookbag and opened it up to an assigned page.

Zuko glanced up casually from where he sat reading and asked in a dull, uninterested tone, "What're you doing now?"

"Homework."

"Oh, you're an overachiever, I see."

"No, its last night's homework," she answered as she began writing down problems. She looked up at Zuko and smiled kindly, "That's always a good thing about my free, it always comes before math. Gives me time to finish up what I was too tired to do then."

Zuko was surprised by this answer, but did not show it. Instead he leaned back in his chair, set his book on his stomach, and watched as she began finishing her homework. Zuko 'tsked' at her after a few minutes, and then a little afterward she looked up in annoyance.

"What?" she asked, her voice clearly showing how irritated she was, with him or the homework, he couldn't tell.

"Problem seventeen," Zuko answered, "is wrong." When Katara blinked in confusion and turned her gaze to the problem she had written, he continued, "The answer is negative nine." When Katara still looked completely blank, Zuko scooted his chair around to hers and shoved her arm aside so he could get a better look at the book, and her paper. Nodding, he pointed to the work she had written down. "See, right there, that's where you went wrong. It should be (_n_-113)."

Katara blinked, tore another piece of paper out of her binder, and rewrote the work. Afterward, she turned to the last page of the book for the answers, and there, written in fine print, next to problem seventeen, was the answer negative nine. Katara sat back in her chair, eyes wide as she turned to face him.

"Come on, I've been at school all my life. How do you think I don't get held back every year? I actually do the work. I just don't go to the classes all the time." Zuko couldn't help but smirk at her surprised expression.

"You're _smart_," she exclaimed after a moment of silence.

Smirking, Zuko said, "Why, thank you. I'm no Einstein, but I try."

And then Katara's face changed completely. She frowned, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. "Why _do _I keep seeing you around lately? Today, for instance. First at my locker, now here."

"Curiosity," he explained simply, as if that answered everything. "Everyone has it."

Katara looked at him uneasily. "Curiosity," she repeated. "And what, pre tell, are you so curious in?"

Zuko grinned darkly and said, "Everything." After a pause and after readjusting himself so that he was back on the other side of the table, he continued, "Mostly in you."

Katara's cheeks flared, and Zuko found that quite intriguing. "Me?" she squeaked. And then she glared at him. "You mean _Aang_," she stood abruptly, stuffing her books into her bag, "_You_ are trying to get information from _me_ in order to get to _Aang_. Think again, buster. Not going to happen." She swung the bookbag over a shoulder and looked at him over her shoulder in distaste. "You could've come up with something a bit trickier to figure out. You're _smart_, after all." And with that said, she walked away.

**-O-**

On Tuesday morning, once again, Zuko arrived early. Not as early as Monday, but early enough so that he could reach her locker and wait for her there. Again, as the clock reached seven thirty, students milled into the building. The overachievers sat against lockers, working on the next night's homework, procrastinators worked hard to finish projects that were do third period. And Zuko stood against locker 357, waiting.

He must have missed the rest of the group walk past, because sooner than he thought, there stood Katara, unlocking her locker. She didn't look up, but said, "Good morning, Zuko." It was passive, discreet, and so quiet that Zuko had almost missed it.

"Good morning, Sunshine. In a better mood this morning than yesterday, I see."

Katara looked over at him coolly. "Trying again," she guessed simply. It wasn't a question, more of a statement that would have made Zuko grin…if he wasn't Zuko. Instead he shrugged, and Katara continued, forgetting her books for the moment to glare at Zuko. "What's your deal? Why do you hate Aang so much?"

Zuko looked over at Katara once more, eyes narrowed coldly. "The monk has nothing to do with this," he stated, "This is just my own curiosity having to do with you," and then he added swiftly, "and your brother."

Katara looked at him for a long moment, and then sighed and looked away, continuing to push books into her bag again. "I don't know whether to be wary or flattered."

Zuko smirked, "Both?"

Katara glanced at him, once over, and then away again. "Both," she paused uncertainly and then continued, "I'm still not understanding why you are so interested in finding more out about Sokka and I…if you're looking for information on Aang."

Zuko's eyes narrowed in frustration. But at least she was guarded. "I know enough about the monk," he mentioned in a low voice, as he pushed himself from the lockers, "I'll see you around."

Katara watched him warily, "I'm sure you will."

As like the day before, Zuko found himself sitting at the table, waiting for Katara to show her face. It was a few minutes after the tardy bell that she walked into the building, and stopped in what he could only guess was shock when she saw him. Then her eyes narrowed in determination, and she stomped with a purpose over to the table, and sat down.

But when she looked over at him, there was a strained smile on her face. "So, you're really serious, then."

Zuko shrugged. And then he set down _Mobey Dick_ and leaned forward, setting his chin in his cupped palm. "What other bands do you like?"

Katara blinked and then sat back in her chair, tapping her chin patiently with one finger as she thought. "Well, like I said before, Three Days Grace, Evanescence, Flyleaf…but I also enjoy Rise Against." Then she looked over at him with a large smile, "I love country music. As much as Suki would love to change that, I do. That, and some mellow music. Ever heard of Fru-Fru?"

When Zuko shook his head, she smiled again, and he decided that, as much as she was annoying, she had a nice smile. "Fru-Fru has good music," she said in approval, "One of my favorite songs is by Taylor Swift, _Tim McGraw_…" she paused, and then blushed and looked away. "Those are good bands, though. I like Rise Against a lot. That's the newest band that Suki's got me hooked on."

Zuko nodded, and pressed on. "So, you and Suki have been friends a long time."

Katara smiled, a different smile, a sweeter smile, and she nodded. "Yeah, we've been best friends forever. I think we get along so well…because we're so different. Suki likes to _fight_. Her family's really big, you know? Her sisters and her are big fighters. They like fans. Using them as an extension of the hand, or, that's what she says."

Zuko looked at her in confusion, rubbing his chin where he remembered Katara had punched him once. "You don't like to fight," he said flatly, "could have had me fooled."

Katara looked at him apologetically. "When it comes to friends, I get very protective." And then her eyes narrowed dangerously. "Which is why if you try _anything_ to hurt Aang, I will hurt you just as much. If you use anything I tell you against me, or my friends…" she paused, and then continued, "I'll do more than just punch you."

And then Zuko smirked and leaned forward, to meet her halfway. "Then it's a good thing I won't." Katara's face heated up and she sat back in her chair, aware of how close Zuko had gotten. "You're a jock," he said suddenly.

Katara glared at him. "I'm not a _jock_. I do sports, but that doesn't mean I'm a _jock_." She tucked a loose strand of auburn hair behind her ear as she leaned forward onto the table, setting her chin in her cupped hands. "I like to play fieldhockey, and I enjoy swimming. I love swimming. If this school had a swim team, I'd be on it like cheese on a cracker." Zuko looked at her in amusement now.

"Are you serious, that's the kind of stuff you want to know?" she asked. When Zuko merely looked away, she continued. "You know, I want to know more about _you._" Zuko glared at her. "Hold on, Hothead. Its only fair. You ask a question, and then I ask a question."

Zuko shook his head. "That's not how it works."

Katara returned his scorching glare with her own. "And how _does_ it work?" Zuko opened his mouth to answer, but stopped. "Exactly. See, you made the mistake of making any deals. I can ask you any question I want, you ask me any question _you_ want. And we both answer as…truthfully…as we can."

"Doesn't make sense," he stated flatly. "If all you want is to irritate me."

Katara's eyes narrowed, and she began to stand. "_Me_ irritate _you_?" she asked angrily, "You've got it the wrong way, bud." She threw her backpack over her shoulder and glared at him. "Take care of your damn curiosity on your own. You're too indignant for your own good." And she walked away.

**-O-**

On Wednsday morning, Zuko didn't come to school early. He wasn't sure how he was going to get what he wanted out of her. And, in fact, he didn't' even know what he wanted. All he knew was that she confused him, irritated him, and intrigued him. But even so, she was just so infuriating. And he wanted nothing else to do with her.

Then why, when he walked through the halls, when Zuko saw a flash of brown hair in the crowd, his heart raced and he sped up his pace. It annoyed the hell out of him. This girl. Her past. Her personality. Her smile. Her eyes. Everything.

When lunch came around, and he was sitting on his own in the cafeteria, someone sat across from him. Already aggravated enough by the day, he looked up to tell the person off, when gold eyes met those of marine-blue. His eyes took on the bored, unemotional look they often held and he said flatly, "People like you are why people like me need medication."

Katara smiled brightly. "Glad to be of service!" And then she became serious. "So, you gave up?"

Zuko shrugged, "I don't give up so easily."

"I only figured," Katara said with a nod, "Be_sides_, now I'm curious about _you_."

Zuko looked around and found a pair of gray eyes glaring at him from across the room. The monk. Zuko sneered at him, and the monk turned back around to face the long haired boy—Haru, his mind finally supplied, that was his name—and the girl's best friend and brother.

"Oh," Katara said as if just remembering, "I did some research on you."

Zuko's face fell. "You googled me," he said flatly.

Katara nodded. "I didn't find a thing. At least, not on you. Names that came up were like Iroh, Ozai, Azula…names like that."

"My family," Zuko said darkly.

"Really? They've got an amazing past!" Katara said eagerly as she pulled out papers from her bookbag.

"Do you ever leave that thing anywhere?" Zuko asked drily of her bag.

Katara laughed half-heartedly, "Of course not! Now," she shuffled the pages around. "I thought the rumors of you coming from a prosperous family were just that, rumors. But according to this, your family has a huge background in the mafia!" She grinned at him. "How amazing is that! Did you know?"

Zuko nodded, but he wasn't looking at her, but past her, at Haru and Aang, who were glaring at him. "I mean, not such a good past. But it's a huge background! And your sister goes to school just around here! At some high-and-fancy private place."

Zuko's golden gaze snapped to Katara's blue one, and he held it for a long time. How come he had not heard this yet? Azula had been in a far away city last time he had heard. A boarding school, far, far, _far_ away. Across oceans: far away. Katara blinked uncertainly. "That's news, eh?" she guessed.

Zuko stood up so suddenly that Katara grabbed the papers in order to keep them from floating away. She glared at him. "What's the matter with you?"

Zuko looked over at her coldly from over his shoulder. "We are _not_ friends. We're _enemies_. So treat me like one." And this time, he was the one walking away.

**-O-**

Katara didn't see Zuko any more until a few nights before the Halloween Bash. She was in the best costume store, looking around with Aang for some good costumes. It was Katara's idea to go as old Japanese nobles, but Aang wanted to dress up as a ninja. It was customary to dress up for these sorts of things. Their high school had a lot of spirit, especially the seniors, and when it threw parties with a theme, it was expected to come dressed up to the theme. In this case, Halloween. Because it was, in fact, the night of Hallow's Eve.

Katara had gone into the dressing room, trying on a purple witch costume. "Aang, I'm coming out," she called as she swept back the curtain and struck a pose. But she soon realized that Aang was nowhere to be seen. A little wary, Katara made her way through the isles of costumes, and past the glass cases that held tempting tiaras.

Katara turned a corner into a deserted isle, one that was dark and gloomy, and saw a sight that made her fume. There was Zuko, looking at the rack, tapping his foot against the floor. She stomped up behind him, grabbed him by the shoulder, and swung him around to face her.

"What are _you_ doing here?" she asked angrily. Confusion, guilt, anger, and a mix of a lot of other feelings distributed themselves around her. But most of all, confusion.

Zuko looked just as confused as she did. "I'm…looking for a costume. For the party thing… I heard it's mandatory to wear a costume."

Katara's eyes widened in surprise, for he sounded…actually…sincere. "Oh, and I suppose you just so happened to pick _this_ store out of all other costume stores. Not even knowing that Aang and I were here?" Her voice was threatening to raise itself into a yell.

Zuko glanced around. "No, I didn't know. I had no idea. Can you just shut up. Hey," he covered her mouth and glared at her, but she continued to yell at him, "watch that tongue of yours, wench."

Her eyes widened even more and she began to struggle, a whole other stream of curses flowing from her covered mouth. "I'll let you go if you just _shut up_ and _don't make a scene_!" Katara's eyes narrowed, but she wanted to get his warm hand away from her lips. Then, she'd give him a piece of her mind. When he hesitated she sighed and nodded. He released her.

She glared at him, but said in as a calm a voice as she could muster, "I didn't take you as the dance time."

"I'm not," he answered, "but I heard that it's better than Homecoming, which we conveniently never had this year."

"You heard that from Jet," Katara stated drily. When Zuko nodded, she rolled her eyes and backed away. "Listen, I wanted to say something to you about the other day. I want you to know that you were the one who wanted to know more about _me_. You brought whatever it was you brought onto yourself, got it? You had no right to even get mad at me. For my own curiosity." Her eyes narrowed further as they glared at each other. And then she sighed and backed away, "Okay, well, I'll let you get back to your shopping."

He glared at her, and she returned the favor gladly. "See you around," she said finally. And as she turned, she caught a pair of angry gray eyes facing Zuko. "Hey, Aang, come on. We're not finished here." As she walked up to him and turned the corner, Aang grabbed her arm and looked at her in concern.

"Are you alright?"

Katara forced a smile on her face. "Peachy."

* * *

Review Replies:  
**uffda1nat:** Yeah, I mean, I can't say a lot at this point because it'll give major plot bunnies away, but things'll start to look up for Zutara fans. And Suka fans. -  
**teenfox:** Oh, we all know that's gonna bother him eventually. And thanks for the understanding, it means a bunch. Hope you enjoyed this chapter.  
**Angelfly06:** Thanks, I tried to make Haru a little, you know, Haru-ish. Haha, if that makes sense. And thanks for the understanding. Seriously. Oh, and thanks for the review. And I hope you enjoyed this chapter.  
**toonfan820:** No, she really doesn't, but Katara's too sweet to say 'no', you know? Anyways, I hope this chapter sufficed. Like I told **uffdal**, I can't give away many plot bunnies, but I can assure you more Zutara is coming up.  
**SavageGardenFan:** Glad you liked the last chapter. And I hope this length has sufficed. Hopefully, the next chapter will be just as long. Oh, and you are my hundredth reviewer! I should give you a muffin!! But I have no muffins, sorry. But thanks anyways!! 


	27. Chapter 26

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. There, I said it.

**Note:** Okay, I want everyone to know that this chapter was originally like fifteen pages. I had to narrow it down to a smaller size for because, honestly, I didnt want to throw it all at ya'll at once. So enjoy this amazing bit of the large chapter. Leave some reviews. It would be greatly appreciated. -U.B

* * *

**Chapter 26:**

"Wow, Katara, you look great," Haru said as he opened the passenger door to his car. Katara smiled, a sincere smile, and thanked him.

She had decided against the Japanese noblewoman idea after she had confronted Zuko. Instead, she chose to dress up as a female pirate. She was wearing a pear of short, black pants that flared out, and a white, fluffy shirt underneath a crimson-red corset-like top. Under her pants, she wore knee-length, high-heeled boots. Her hair fell down in loose curls, a worn-out looking pirate hat on top. The white shirt fell a little baggily over her pants, and a red, felt belt kept it in place along with a sheath that held a plastic sword.

"You look good, too, Haru. Let me guess, you're a hippie."

Haru grinned, "Right on the dot! How'd you guess?"

Katara grinned ironically and said, "The headband and peace symbol around your neck _kind of_ gave it away." Haru laughed and got into the driver's seat. He checked his cell phone as he started the car. Katara looked at him curiously, "Are you expecting a call?"

"Hmm, oh, yeah." He smiled over at Katara, "from my dad, actually."

Katara nodded and looked back out the windshield as they drove. In about twenty minutes, they had parked in the student parking lot and were walking toward the gym, where the dance was to be held. Haru opened the door for her, and she passed him, looking around at all the lovely, _frightening_ decorations.

Pumpkins and black candles sat on ledges placed up along the gym's hallway, and black and orange tissue paper dangled above the entrance to the gym itself. More black and orange tissue paper draped over the gym's ceiling, and small bodies were hanging off the basketball hoops. Off the ceiling, dangling low and high alternatively, were plastic bats with red eyes. Black balloons drifted along the wood floor, and a tabletop was situated off to the side where punch and sodas would be departed to tired students.

A DJ stood off to the other side, readying his equipment and going through discs and even more discs. Katara looked around. "We came early," she realized.

Haru smiled. "Sorry, you know how I'm on the Student Council. It was mandatory."

Katara looked at him as sweetly as she could, her hand going up to the blue, cool stone dangling from her neck on the black leather strap. It was the only piece of normal wardrobe she had dared to wear to this dance. She clutched it hard, and sighed. _I could've met you here_, she wanted to say.

But, as it turned out, they were only twenty minutes early, for soon students started filing out of the dark entryway into the even darker gym. But even so, Katara recognized Suki immediately as she entered, and ran to tackle her friend in a hug.

"Katara!" Suki said happily. Suki and Katara had both decided to dress up as pirates this year, and since their ideas were partially the same, had agreed to dress up alike, except that Suki was wearing a blue corset with a blue felt belt. And instead of a hat, she was wearing a blue bandana over her short hair. "Where's that date of yours? I have a good feeling about tonight."

Haru came up behind Katara and smiled at Suki warmly. "Right here," he looked at Katara apologetically, "Sorry; I was trying to figure out what to do with the leftover black candles."

"And?" Katara pressed, "What'd you decide?"

"Well, we're going to space them out on the bleachers," he answered simply. And then he grinned past Suki's shoulder. "Hey, Sokka!"

Katara grinned at her brother, who had agreed to go along with the girl's idea, and he dressed up as a pirate captain. Suki blushed, but then cracked up laughing when she saw that Sokka was wearing a fake mustache and eye patch. "What?" Sokka pouted but then grinned jokingly. He flicked the earring that dangled from Suki's left ear, making her blush even darker. "Like the earring," he said.

"T-Thanks," stuttered Suki. Katara just beamed brighter.

And soon, everyone was out on the dance floor. Katara and Suki danced with each other at first, before Katara was pulled away by Haru and they danced a few songs. When Katara glanced over to Suki, she was dancing with Foamy, looking over to Katara for help. Katara cracked up laughing, but then just as she was going to pull away from Haru to rescue her friend, Sokka appeared and pulled Suki away, much to Foamy's consternation.

Katara looked around some more, and found that Aang was dancing with Meng. Aang had, in fact, taken up to his monk routes and had round up some old robes. Meng had dressed up as a little Chinese doll. Katara smiled warmly when Aang looked over at her, and he smiled in return.

A few songs later, Katara found herself sitting outside in the cold, watching Haru speed away in his car. Haru's father had called during a slow song, saying there was an emergency at the hospital having to deal with Haru's mother and the baby. "Go," Katara had ordered, "your mother needs you." She had smiled warmly at Haru, and he returned it with a grateful, worried smile.

"But what about you?" he had asked nervously, "How will you get home?"

"Sokka's here," she had said in determination, "he'll give me a ride. And if not him, then I'll find someone else sober enough to give me a ride." She then smiled at Haru again and this time, in a harsher tone, said, "Go." And so he had jumped into his jeep and speed away.

And thus, our heroin sat outside in the cold, where she actually felt the chill of the night, watching her date drive away. Sighing, she turned on her heels and made her way back into the gym.

Where she was met with a very handsome, very _wasted_ Jet. "Hey, Katara," he slurred out, grinning. He was dressed up as a swordsman. _Of course_, thought Katara dryly as she tried to side-step him, _he loves swords. And alcohol._

"Hi, Jet," she said as she ducked under an arm that had come to wrap itself snuggly around her shoulders.

Jet just chuckled. "Are you having fun?" he asked.

"Oh, yeah. Are you?" Katara searched the crowd for Suki, who would surely come to her rescue in a few minutes.

"No," Jet admitted as he stumbled in front of Katara's view purposefully, "but I would if you would dance with me." Katara listened to the slow song that had just come on.

"How convenient," she said sardonically, "its our _song_." Jet just smiled down at her. "Jet, I think it's a good idea if you just sit down. How'd they even let you in this party, you're drunk!"

Jet gave her his trade-mark smirk and said, "See, it's not a party until someone comes in as drunk as I am."

Katara looked at him in annoyance. "I want to get back to the party."

"Same!" and suddenly her hands were clasped in his and she was being dragged onto the dance floor, where he set her hands over his shoulders and his arms wrapped around her waist. He breathed on her. Katara wanted to gag. _One _slow_ dance won't be so bad with him,_ she figured. But one dance turned into two, and finally Katara shoved herself away from him when his hands got a little _too_ low.

Jet looked at her curiously, "What's the matter?" he asked.

"_You're_ what's the matter," Katara snapped angrily, "you're drunk."

Jet's eyes narrowed, and he stepped forward, "Not so loud, Kat, someone might hear you!"

Katara stepped away from him, "Don't call me that. You don't have the rights. Not anymore." Jet grabbed her arm forcefully and pulled her toward him. "Jet," she said calmly, "let me go."

And then someone else was holding onto her, this time around her waist. Katara gasped at the feeling and began to struggle but Jet's strength, when he wanted it to be, was amazing, and the person behind her was unyielding. He felt a mouth press by her ear, and the whispered words, "I'll save you from Jet." And then Katara froze, trying to decipher the voice. The person behind took that as a sign, and said, louder,

"Hey, Jet, thanks for holding onto my date for me while I got the punch. She was waiting for me over near the entrance, but when I came back and she was gone…"

Katara finally recognized the voice, and looked up to find one scarred hothead glaring at Jet. Zuko's aura was so strong and commanding, that she felt Jet's strength and determination dwindle right in front of her. Zuko, when need be, demanded attention and respect. And Katara found that Jet was little less than eager to oblige to the respect. Jet released his grip after a long minute. "Yeah," he said, his voice cold, "no problem." And he stumbled away, into the crowd.

Katara sighed, leaning back against Zuko without thinking, running a hand over her brow. "Phew, that was close. Thanks, Zuko." And as she began to step away, his grip tightened. She paused in surprise, and looked hesitantly back up at Zuko.

Zuko glanced down at her, his gold eyes piercing. "What were you doing with such a drunkard, anyways?"

"He wasn't my date. He talked me into dancing with him to…a slow song…and I figured that one dance would be fine, even if he was drunk. But one dance turned into two, and then into three…" Katara sighed, but then looked back up at him with a big smile. "So, thanks for saving me. I could've dealt with it, eventually."

Zuko turned her around slowly, his arms wrapping around her tiny waist and making her blue eyes go wide. "He's watching us," he grumbled in her ear as he leaned down, "waiting for me to walk away."

Katara glanced over her shoulder, and, indeed, Jet was watching them with a suspicious, cold gaze. Katara sighed, and she met Zuko's gaze with her own once more. "Thanks, but really, I'll be fine."

"Yes," Zuko said sarcastically, "you were doing _just_ fine. Just one more dance wouldn't have hurt, would it?"

"Why do you care, anyway?" Katara snapped angrily. "If I hadn't have done something, then Suki would have come to my rescue."

"Yes, Suki would look so much better in a prince costume." And that's when Katara realized what Zuko was dressed as. A prince. Katara lifted an eyebrow.

"Were you watching me?" she asked cautiously, "Worried about me?"

"Who was your date?" Zuko asked instead.

"Haru," she answered as they began to sway back and forth, "but there was an emergency and he had to leave."

Zuko nodded. "Jet was probably waiting until Haru left you alone, if he did."

Katara wrapped her arms hesitantly around his neck, just barely able to. _Gosh, he's tall,_ Katara realized. Zuko didn't meet her gaze for a long time, and when the slow song changed to a quicker one, he spun her around and held her back against his stomach. Katara gasped, a blush spreading to her cheeks.

"Y-You really don't have to do this," she sputtered out, "I can handle Jet. I've done it before."

Zuko leaned over, placing his lips by her ear as he murmured, "Uncomfortable?"

If Katara thought her blush was worse before, she was wrong. She felt her face redden further, and thanked Haru and the rest of the student council for having the gym so dimly lit. "N-No," she stumbled, "just surprised that you even care."

She felt Zuko shrug behind her, and he readjusted his arms more tightly around her. As he leaned down once more, the breath just under her ear made her shiver. "Try to understand," he said smoothly, "I have to get the monk in order to restore something I've lost. My honor." Katara stiffened beside him, surprise and anger etching its way into her body. "Perhaps," he said into her ear, "in return, I can restore something you've lost."

She was trying to stay angry at him, but his warmth behind her body, and his arms around her stomach, and the thumb that drew slow circles against her tummy forced her to relax. And then a hand was removed from around her stomach, and dangled something in front of her face. "My mother's necklace!" she gasped. Her hand went to her neck, feeling around for the necklace, unbelieving that Zuko would even have it. "Where did you get that?"

"I didn't steal it," Zuko said, "if that's what you're thinking."

Katara struggled to grasp where this conversation was going. He was trying to make a deal with her, one that she didn't exactly understand, one that she didn't want to understand. "I wasn't…" she struggled to say, "I'm trying to figure out how you _got_ it!"

"It fell off when you and the hippie went outside," he said.

Katara's eyes widened and a grin fell across her lips. "You _were_ watching me!" And then her smile fell and she looked up over at him with concern, "I don't know whether to be flattered or disturbed."

"Both," he guessed.

"Both," she agreed.


	28. Chapter 27

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender. There, I said it.

**Note:** Last segment to the dance. Hope ya'll enjoy, I sure enjoyed writing it. And did I mention I absolutely loved ya'lls reviews from last chapter!! They were so long:3 If I could, I would totally give all you guys a giant cookie cake ('cuz those things rock). Anyways, I left a few comments to some of your reviews after the chapter. Not everybody's, but I tried. Hope you guys enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter 27:**

The song slowly changed into another, one she recognized as Cupid's Chokehold by Gym Class Heroes. She didn't normally like songs like this, but Katara often found herself singing the words to the song and enjoying the lyrics. Without meaning to, Katara began to swing her hips back and forth, mouthing to the lyrics. She felt him stiffen behind her, and stopped in surprise at her own actions.

She glanced up at him, and he was looking down at her with a strange expression on his face. But then he smirked, and Katara looked at him awkwardly. He grabbed her arms and swung her around, so that she was facing him. She found her arms stuck in between their bodies and she began to push away from him.

"Hey, hold on," he said, holding her still. He took her hands in one hand moved them around his neck instead. Katara's face had finally gone back to normal, but now she felt it flare up once again when she began really _dancing_ with him. Katara looked around, side to side, for Suki. When she finally spotted Suki, she was dancing close with Sokka. Katara wanted to yell out for her, but right then, right in front of her, Sokka bent his head down and kissed Suki. Katara stopped herself and turned away, happy for her friend.

Zuko had followed her gaze and whistled softly. "About time," he growled under his breath. Katara just barely caught this and leaned back slightly so she could look at him in surprise. Zuko ignored her. Her eyes narrowed.

_What's his deal?_ She thought, _He's done his job as the knight-in-shining-armor! Now he can leave me alone…_

That song soon ended, and the DJ called out that there was an hour left in the dance, and that if anyone wanted to request a song, now was the chance. Katara looked around for Suki again, and found Sokka instead, walking towards them with curiosity, and a bit of animosity, in his eyes.

Grabbing his sister by the arm, Sokka pulled Katara away to talk to her, glancing over at Zuko suspiciously. "Where's Haru?" he asked.

"Emergency," Katara explained, "with his mother at the hospital. He left. Zuko saved me from Jet. Yadda yadda." Katara waved it off. When she saw the look in Sokka's eyes, she looked at him worriedly. "Are you alright?"

"I don't like him around you…not like _that_."

Again, Katara waved her hand. "I'm a big girl. But what's up?"

"Me and Suki are bailing out on this dance. We're going to go see a movie, instead. Aang is going to be spending the night out with his Fish friends, so you don't have to worry about him—"

Katara looked at her brother in distress. "But I need a ride home!"

"You can come with us if you want," Sokka invited a little hesitantly.

Katara shook her head. No way was she going to go to the movies to watch a make-out fest with her best friend and brother. "That's okay…" she stumbled out.

She felt an arm wrap around her and a chin rest on her shoulder. She glanced to the side and nearly fell over in surprise when she found it was Zuko. "Don't worry, I'll take her home."

Sokka looked over at Zuko in surprise, and a little bit of anger. He _was_ touching his sister, after all. "I don't think that's such a good idea."

"Then with Jet? He's right over there. But he looks a little smashed at the moment." And indeed, Jet had seated himself down on the bleachers, passed out.

Sokka grimaced. "Fine," he looked Katara square in the face, "call me when you get home." Sokka turned and began walking away. Katara reached out a hand weakly toward her brother in silent protest, but Zuko pulled her back onto the dance floor, walking slowly backward. When 'Hey There Delilah' by the Plain White T's came on and he turned her slowly to face him, she scowled.

"What'd you do that for?" she asked angrily.

Zuko looked at her quite seriously. "You would have wanted to go back with Jet? He couldn't even be able to drive."

Katara lifted her chin indifferently. "I could have hitched a ride with someone else."

"That someone else being me," he supplied simply.

Glowering, Katara corrected, "No, that someone else being…someone else. Maybe Meng's Aunt could have taken me home. Or someone else from my class…"

"That you hardly trust," added Zuko to her sentence, which had drifted off uncertainly. "You're better off with me," he grumbled.

Katara glared at him silently, and was going to open her mouth to retort something, when he continued speaking. "Why'd you go with the hippie?" he asked.

Katara blinked and then shrugged hopelessly. "No one else was going to ask me."

Zuko leaned forward, brushing his lips just bellow her ear temptingly, and she shivered. "How do you know I wasn't going to?"

Katara reared back, away from him and faced him defensively. "Simple," she said matter-of-factly, "it's because you hate me." When he looked back at her in a bit of confusion, she said, a little less certainly, "You hate Aang…and my brother…and my friends…"

Zuko looked away, but didn't say anything to correct her, or change her mind, or prove her correct. He just loosened his grip around her waist, and then released her. She looked at him in doubt. "Come on, let's go."

Katara looked at him now in astonishment. "Wha…Now? The dance isn't even over!"

"It's late though," he said, looking at a watch on his wrist. "Let's go to I-Hop. Isn't that that pancake house everyone loves?"

Katara blinked and then said, "…Alright."

And so, Katara found herself standing outside of I-Hop, with Zuko behind her, gazing at the closed sign. "I thought they were open until three a.m?" Katara grumbled darkly. Zuko said nothing. Sighing, Katara pulled her hat off her head and turned, facing the truck. Finally, she said, "I thought you had a motorcycle."

Zuko glanced behind him and shrugged. "Wrecked it." Katara gasped and looked at him quickly. "Nobody got hurt, I just lost control. Its in the shop now. I should get it back by next month." Katara nodded.

"Well…" an awkward silence threatened to fall, "I've never ridden a motorcycle before."

Zuko looked at her then. "Really? Maybe when I get it back…" he paused, and then his eyes narrowed.

She glanced up at him, knowing what he was going to say. "That'd be cool," she said softly. She crossed her arms and rubbed them. The long, white undershirt was thin, and for once, Katara felt the chill of the autumn night. "I must be catching a cold," she decided.

He looked at her strangely. "What makes you say that?"

"I'm cold," she answered simply.

"So, it's a cold night. Anyone would be cold."

"Not me," she explained, "nor Sokka. We got this strange immunity to cold weather, I swear. We can wear short sleeves in snow. So whenever we do get cold," she shrugged, "we must be getting a cold."

"Makes sense, in some weird, twisted way," Zuko agreed.

Katara nodded, and again that silence threatened to fall. Katara hated awkward silences, and said, "What now? You dragged me away from the dance, so you have to decide."

Zuko nodded, but didn't say anything. Katara sighed heavily. "Take me home," she said softly, and again Zuko nodded. They got back into the truck, and drove off.

As soon as they reached the house, Zuko parked in the driveway and climbed out. Katara, thinking he was just going to get something out of his trunk, followed the same action. She looked up at Zuko and smiled hesitantly. "Thanks for the ride. And for saving my butt."

Zuko shrugged. Without another word, Katara nodded, backed up a few paces, turned around, and made her way to the porch. When she heard footsteps behind her, she turned and gasped when Zuko grabbed her around the waist, looking down at her intently.

"Did you think about my offer?" he asked, his face a few inches away from hers, his breath tickling her cheeks.

Katara, stiff as a board, face as red as a tomato, croaked out, "What offer?" Zuko pulled something out of his jacket. Her mother's necklace. Katara's eyes narrowed. "Give it to me."

He shook his head. "Our deal. You help me, and I'll help you."

Finally, comprehension struck and Katara's face darkened. "You want me to give you Aang. So you can beat the crap out of him, and whatever silly games you have in store." Zuko shrugged.

"For my honor," he offered.

"Honor? _Honor?_ Zuko, I don't under_stand_ you. One minute your, like, prince _charming_, and the next…" she paused, her blue eyes searching his scarred face. "It has something to do with that scar," she decided softly. And slowly, she began to back away from his grip, eyes still searching his. "Like you said," she said, "we're enemies. Not friends."

"Katara," he tried, stepping toward her.

Her hand reached for the front door, unwilling to turn around and get the key from its hiding spot. Her voice cracked as she continued, "I guess its time…that I start treating you like one." Zuko watched as she slowly turned around and reached for something above the doorframe. A key. Zuko looked away.

"Good-bye, Zuko," she muttered as she unlocked the front door, the screen door pulled back by a foot.

Zuko's hands shook, tempting him to either grab her and hold her, or strangle her. Afraid of what he'd do, he backed off. And then the door was shut softly, and he was left alone on her front porch.

* * *

**Review Answers:**  
**ohsoxalive:** Ahha! You're right! THere is a typo. XD When I get the chance, I'll go back and fix it! THanks for the review!  
**The Zutara Critic:** Haha, the whole point was to make ya'll wanting more! -evil evil- BUt I'm glad you liked it, and hope you like this too!  
**toonfan820**: It seems like you enjoyed it! I'm so glad. And yeah, I wanted to make it awkward because they're, you know, enemies and all. Haha. I'm glad you liked it, and hope this one's to your liking as well!  
**SavageGardenFan:** Its funny you mention it, because I was hoping on doing a little chapter on Zuko's thoughts about everything, and then Katara's thoughts about everything. I'll figure it out. THanks for the review!


	29. Chapter 28

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**Note:** Not as long as the last few, but hopefully just as interesting. Um. Next chapter'll be important to Zuko's character, and you guys should be recognizing a few lines in a few of these next couple chapters. Anyways, sorry it's so late. I've had it written for about three weeks, but I've been ubber busy trying to pack things up. -U.B

* * *

**Chapter 28:**

The familiar grass underneath her hands, cut clean and bouncy to the touch, comforted Katara as she bent over to touch her feet, only to touch the ground in a stretch. The sun was bright today, but did nothing to cut through the chilled afternoon. Her blue eyes shut at the sensation of her back popping and she stood back up.

"Alright, everyone," she announced, "quads. Left quad. One…" Her teammates called out the even numbers as she called out the odd, her left leg pulled up behind her.

It was the Tuesday following the dance, the first practice sense Friday, and the first time she had felt slightly happy. Being out in the field, blue stick in hand, gave her a _strength_; an emotion, a mixture of anger, aggravation, and redemption. And let us not forget the most powerful feeling Katara knew: determination.

Determination to forgetting all about the dance, determination to forgetting all about the events during and after the dance, and determination to forgetting everything but three important things: breathing, talking, and playing field hockey. _And studying_, Katara managed to add to her list as she stated that it was time to switch to the right quad.

"Hey, cap," one of her teammates, Sue Xin, asked as she skipped around on her left foot, trying to find balance.

Katara looked up. Unlike Sue Xin (and most of her other teammates), Katara was well-balanced on one foot and didn't even break a sweat looking up from her fixed gaze on the grass bellow her feet. "Yeah?" After a pause, and after the others called out their number, she called out, "Seven."

"So, I-" An elbow connected with Sue's side and she quickly corrected herself as she fell slightly to the right on the impact, "_We_ were wondering: Who'd you go to the dance with?"

Katara looked back at the grass, feeling a sweat break out on her brow. _So much for forgetting the dance,_ she thought in exasperation. And then she looked back up and smiled brightly, "Nine," she added quickly before saying, "I went with Haru." When really she wanted to tell them to mind their own business. But that wasn't what team captains said to their players, and that wasn't how Katara treated her friends.

"Really?" another girl asked in surprise as she sat down on Katara's command with her feet outstretched to either side of her. "But I saw you dance with Jet!"

Katara grimaced, "Left foot everyone," Katara said to the few who were at least _remotely_ interested in their stretched. "Yeah," she said to the other girl, "I did. It was a few dances between old friends."

"Between _Ex'es_," corrected another girl, Ling, with a smirk.

"Between friends," repeated Katara as she called out her number. "Besides, it was no big deal. He was way drunk."

"But then I saw you dancing, no, _grinding_, with that new kid. What's his name again?" Ling continued thoughtfully, one hand pressed against her chin and the other outstretched to her left foot.

"Zuko?" supplied another girl next to Ling.

"Right: _Zuko_. Oh. My. God. He is so sexy!" Ling cowed clapping her hands when, on command by an irritated Katara, everyone switched to the right leg. "How'd you get to him?"

Katara said with a false smile, "I don't really know. He just all the sudden showed up to save me from Jet." Katara thought mildly how she should really be having this conversation with Suki, who was her best friend, compared to these girls who she only knew through hitting a ball with a stick with.

Again, Ling clapped her hands, but this time it was Sue who answered with a twinkle in her eye, "Oh! How '_knight in shinning armor'_! Did you guys kiss?"

Ling laughed. "Oh, tell me he is a good kisser!"

Katara, her face becoming flush with something between embarrassment and anger, said, "I didn't kiss him…" and then she quickly corrected, "He didn't kiss me."

"Oh," Sue Xin looked at Katara in sympathy.

"Too bad," Ling said thoughtfully, "I bet he's a super kisser."

"You know who's a super kisser?" someone called out from the circle of girls, and Katara inwardly rolled her eyes at her team's interests. "Gin!" All the girls laughed, and the one who had called out seemed to deflate. "What?" And Katara couldn't help but laugh along as well, happy the spotlight had been removed from herself. "It's true! Don't laugh!"

After the laughter (and the conversation) died down, Katara finished the stretches and stood up, grabbing her stick and pointed out at the field. "Alright, Coach asked me to get you guys to do the drills we worked on Friday with partners. You know the one: fifty drives, Indian-dribbles, passes, and then a twenty minute run" smirking, Katara swung her stick behind her head and held it there confidently, "Think you _girls_ can handle it?"

Her teammates shouted in enthusiasm and separated into pairs, and to Katara's chagrin, she was paired with Ling. Katara ran a few steps with the ball, and then lifted her stick just pass her hips and swung, driving the palm-sized, plain white ball to Ling.

Who didn't stop it. She didn't even _try_. She was looking, wide-eyed, out at the bleachers.

Confused, Katara turned around and looked, too, and her cerulean blue eyes met those of molten gold, and Katara, scowling, spun around to face Ling. "Get the damn ball!" she snapped and Ling, surprised at Katara's tone, quickly obeyed. Katara, on the other hand, turned on her heels and stalked toward the bleachers. "What are you doing here?" she asked heatedly.

"I'm meeting someone," Zuko answered off-handedly, not looking at her but just over her shoulder at the girls practicing out on the field. Then he looked at her—right at her—and said, "Not everything's about you."

Katara fumed angrily but instead of grabbing hold of his bait, she guessed, "My brother?"

"Its not about your brother either," growled Zuko with a roll of his eyes.

"I meant: 'Are you meeting my brother'…for the project?"

But before Zuko answered, someone called out his name and he turned with a look of agitation on his face that quickly smoothed over, surprising Katara. "See you later," he said over his shoulder as he jumped down from the metal contraption, walking toward a small, fairly obese man with gray hair.

"Not likely," Katara muttered irately as she turned back around to face her team, who were all looking at her with looks of amusement and interest. "What are you guys doing?" Katara cried out, "We have a game tomorrow afternoon and you guys are picking daisies like a bunch of little girls!" And like that, the drills were back on.


	30. Chapter 29

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**Note:** My worst chapter. Hate it. But it holds neccessary information for the story. Uhg. Please excuse the yuckiness. -U.B

* * *

**Chapter 29:**

Zuko was down on the matted floor of the dojo, his arms in his lap, his legs tucked beneath his body. He sat in front of the low table, where two candles were lit and the smoke wafted toward him, in an effort set by the gods to calm down his irate nerves. He breathed in deeply, feeling the smoke enter his body, and then exhaled, the smoke leaving the same way it had come.

Iroh, watching his nephew, sighed heavily and turned to the dojo master. "Try to understand, my nephew is a complicated young man. He has been through much."

'_Let me in!' a squeaky voiced Zuko cried out. A hand falls sympathetically on his shoulder and Zuko turns pleadingly. 'I want to go into the meeting, but the guard won't let me pass!'_

_A younger Iroh leads Zuko away from the double doors and says, '__You're not missing anything, trust me. These meetings are dreadfully boring.'  
_

'_If I'm going to be the Father of all this one day, don't you think I should start learning as much as I can?' pressed an unrelenting Zuko._

_Sighing, Iroh consented. "__Very well. But you must promise not to speak. These old folks are a bit sensitive, you know." After Zuko bowed thankfully to his uncle, Iroh placed a comforting arm around his shoulder and began to lead him to the doors, where the guardsmen stepped away from the doors to allow the man and the boy to enter._

_Inside, a deep conversation was already brewing. "The Bei Fong members are concentrated here," said one man, pointing with a stick to a map of the city, "A dangerous battalion of their strongest street fighters, so I am recommending the 41st division."_

"_But the 41st is entirely new members," admonished another old coot, "How do you expect them to defeat a powerful street gang?_

_The first man who spoke looked up at the other man coolly and said with his raspy, cold voice, "I don't." And then he looked around the room to the other members and continued, "They'll be used as a distraction while we head for the bigger prey; to Bei Fong _family_. What better to use as bait then fresh meat?"_

_Zuko had jumped up, yelling angrily, "You can't sacrifice an entire division like that! Those men love and defend our Family! How can you betray them?"_

Sighing, Iroh ran a hand over his face and said, "Zuko was right, you see, but it was not his place to speak out, and there were dire consequences." Iroh shook his head and lowered himself onto a chair, where the dojo master was quick to follow. "After Zuko's outburst in the meeting, the 'Fire Lord', his father, became very angry with him. He said that Zuko's challenge of the old man was an act of complete disrespect, and there was only one way to resolve this."

"How?" the other man asked, interest peaked by the story as his eyes managed to find their way to the main character of Iroh's tale, still breathing heavily in front of a flame.

"Zuko's father is a very traditional man, and follows the same laws our father followed before him. Zuko had to fight the man, fist to fist. Zuko looked upon the old man he had insulted and declared that he was not afraid. But Zuko misunderstood. When he turned to face his opponent, he was surprised to see it was not the man. Zuko had spoken out against an old friend's plan, but by doing so in the 'Fire Lord's' war room, it was the 'Fire Lord' whom he had disrespected. Zuko would have to fight his own father."

The other man leaned in now, "What happened? How'd he get that scar?"

Iroh looked at the dojo leader and leaned back in his chair. "When Zuko saw that it was his father who had come to fight him, he begged for mercy."

_A horrified Zuko falls to his hands and knees, bowing to his Father with a look of complete terror on his face. "Please, Father, I only had the Family's best interest at heart! I'm sorry I spoke out of turn!"_

_A booming voice, "You will fight for your honor."_

"_I meant you no disrespect! I _am_ your loyal son!"_

_Angrier now, "Rise and _fight_, Zuko!"_

_Zuko, still abasing himself on the ground, "I will not fight you!"_

_Standing over Zuko now, a silhouette against a golden and flaming background, "You will learn respect, and suffering will be your teacher."_

_A loud explosion and a scream of pain._

"I looked away," Iroh explains, "his father cheated, of course. He was wearing gloves one of his closest friends, an inventor for our Family mafia, had recently created. By using a mixture of gas propane and a lighter hidden in a sleeve, the glove will explode in flame, if for only a few minutes, and could be used as a lethal weapon. It still has its bugs, even today…almost four years after the incident…but it did its job for Zuko's father."

The dojo master, bewildered, stutters, "…But…I always thought…I mean…I always thought it was an accident…A house fire…"

"It was no accident, Master Jee. After the fight, the Father said that by refusing to fight, Zuko had shown shameful weakness. As punishment he was banished from the Family and sent on a mission. Only when he could finish his mission successfully could he return with his honor."

Interested even more, the dojo master asked, "And the mission…what is it?"

By this time, Zuko was standing and now completely aware of the conversation. "If we were to tell you, Master," he says, looking at the dojo master in the eye, "with all do respects, but we would have to kill you."

And that was that.


	31. Chapter 30

_One of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**Note: **-throws confetti- OTD finally made it to chapter 30! Everyone get up and party! I LOVE this chapter. I think ya'll will, too. I was gonna replace Chapter 29 with this one, but I've decided I'm just gonna redo 29. I hate it. I really do. But I LOVE this chapter! I worked so hard on it. -sniffles proudly- ANYWAYS, school started about three weeks ago so I've been trying very hard to get back into the roll of things. I've decided I'm going to update every other week on Friday, like how new Avatar episodes come out. Sound good to anyone?

Season 3 starts in a week.

-U.B

* * *

**Chapter 30:**

Twitch. Stare. Breathe. Twitch. Stare. Breathe.

"You won't win," he said strongly, his eyes as wide as saucers and unblinking.

A harsh laugh, but her blue eyes, soft and relaxed, did not blink. Sokka hated his sister even more for this. "Oh no, that's where you're wrong." A large smirk grew on her lips, and Sokka wished he could bop her on the head. "Because I will be winning."

"I'll give it two more minutes, tops," declared Aang.

The bustle of a Wednesday cafeteria lunch period went on around the small group of teens, but they didn't even seem to notice. Sokka's hand twitched, and in doing so it made her lips twitch at the corner. "I'll take you on that bet, Aang," Katara said, "I'll give it only ten more seconds before he cracks."

Sokka wanted to roll his eyes; he was a warrior! He could take on his little sister any day, and beat her, with his hands tied behind his back and his eyes blindfolded. However, his eyes began to strain and he felt them begin to twitch. And now Katara's smirk turned into a full blown smile, one that would blow any boy away.

"Seven…eight…nine…ten," counted Aang, and just like that, against his will, Sokka blinked.

Suki and Katara cheered and Katara grabbed her brother's pudding in victory; the battle one, and her prize handed over. "Thank you, Sokka, you are too kind!"

Sokka rubbed his eyes painfully and stood just as the bell rang. "Yeah, yeah. Shut up. Come on, Suki, I'll walk you to your next class." Suki stood, swinging her backpack over her shoulder with a wide smile and followed an upset Sokka out of the cafeteria, leaving Katara to her own doings in her free period as Aang wandered off to find Meng.

Katara opened the pudding gleefully, her fingers pulling back the cold foil. Delighted at the pungent smell of chocolate, she licked the foil clean before grabbing the spoon she had skillfully pulled from her brother's lunch.

Oh, what a wonderful day.

No drama.

No problems.

Just a simple Wednesday afternoon.

Someone sat in front of her, Katara was well aware. Her eyes peeled upward from the book she had placed on the table and gazed into warm brown eyes. "Hi, Haru. Don't you have class?"

"Yeah."

"Oh," she paused uncertainly, "Shouldn't you be, you know, heading there?"

"Probably. I just haven't talked to you since the dance," he answered. He was acting strange.

"Oh, that's right! Well, how's your mom?"

"She and the baby are fine. Just a scare," he looked down at his hands minutely before looking back at her, "Katara, is it true that – "

The tardy bell and he was up so fast he knocked over the chair. "Gah, I'm late!"

"Bye, Haru," Katara waved at Haru's back, and he was out the door in an instant. _Well that was totally weird._ Katara began eating her pudding once more. _But not weird enough to ruin my day._

She had gotten pretty far into her pudding by the time Jet sat next to her. "Hey, Kat," he greeted warmly. He was sober today.

"Don't call me that," Katara murmured under her breath, her eyes not leaving the pages of her book, "you don't have permission to anymore."

"I was the only person to _ever_ call you that," he answered, wrapping a muscular arm around her shoulders.

"Don't you have some friends to go get stoned with or something?" Katara asked without thinking, flipping the page of her book and bringing the spoon to her mouth.

"Yeah, but they can wait."

"I'm sure they can't."

"Katara," he said with a short sigh, "I just wanted to apologize." He removed his arm from her shoulders. She looked at him, trying her best to hide her surprise.

"You remember the dance?"

He shrugged, "Somewhat."

"You were hammered," she commented off-handedly as her gaze turned back to the book.

"Yeah, the hangover the next day was kind'a the first clue," he said with that wide smirk of his. The smirk was the first thing that had caught her eye that one day back in her freshman year. It was that smirk that caused all the trouble.

"Yeah," Katara grumbled and brought the spoon back to her lips.

"I remember I danced with you," he continued, "I remember we were having fun."

"You were the one having fun," she said, a bit of a clip to her voice.

His smirk faltered, "And then someone came and took you away."

Katara stilled her movements and shut her eyes tightly. She wanted to forget that. For a while back there in the dance, when _he_ had come to her rescue, she had thought that maybe…but no. _He_ was the same. _He_ hadn't changed.

"Yeah," he continued, completely oblivious to her thoughts, "and then everything else is kind'a a blank."

"It figures," she said, "Like I said, you were hammered."

"I do remember that you were looking beautiful," he said, his eyes in a far off place Katara could never be able to follow. A slow, endearing smile pulled at his lips, "You were a pirate."

Katara fought back her slight blush and looked away, closing her book as she did so. "And you were Jet," she stood and tucked the book under her arm, the empty pudding cup in her free hand, "Drunk and dense…as usual."

"Katara…"

But she was already out the door.

And she walked down the path, heading to her table where she knew no one would be able to find her because it was her table, and had been for the past year. But when she entered the building and rounded the corner, what met her was not a simple empty table.

Someone, in fact, that she did not want to see was sitting there, feet propped up casually on the other chair, _Moby Dick_ in hand. Katara ground her teeth. _He's doing this on purpose_, she coached herself, _the little butt-head is annoying me on purpose._ Katara really wanted her field hockey stick – if she had it with her, she could bash him in the head.

Instead, she had to make due with her book and backpack, so she made her way with her nose turned away from him. When she came to the chair he had – purposefully, she was sure – placed his feet on, she pulled it back so sharply that it tipped backward.

He said nothing, just placed his feet on the ground, leaned back in his chair, and returned his golden gaze to the book at hand. Katara sat down with a huff and for a minute just sat there, her stare hard with her arms crossed in front of her chest.

When he neither lifted his gaze to greet her nor said a witty, dark remark, she let out a breath and opened her own book.

For a while, they sat there in tense silence, both pretending to read because she was scared that if she looked up she'd have to meet his gaze and he was just too cool to give into her alluring presence.

Finally, however, Zuko shut the book he had just finished and leaned back in his chair, watching her. She didn't look up, instead seemed even more interested in the words printed on the pages in front of her. His gaze slowly followed the curve of her forehead over her nose. She really was perfect.

She would never know.

_What am I thinking,_ Zuko said, aghast with himself. _She's _interesting;_ nobody's perfect._ That's what he told himself.

Finally Katara looked up, exasperated, and said in the coldest voice she could muster, "Was there something you wanted from me?" Instead it came out annoyed and anxious, and she mentally beat her head against a wall.

"No." One word; simple, and to the point and it sent shivers down her spine.

"O-Okay," she blinked and then narrowed her eyes, "Why are you here?"

"To read," he lifted the book he had just finished, "As you can see."

"But why _here_?" she pressed.

"Because it's the most quiet place on campus. Even with your stupid questions, it's the quietest place."

Katara opened her mouth and then closed it, anger and irritation bubbling up inside her. Finally she managed to say, "My questions are not stupid!" but he was smirking and she knew that he had baited her.

So, frowning, she huffed indignantly and returned to her story. "Stupid butt-head," she murmured.

"What was that?" he asked, sincerely bewildered.

"Hmm?" she looked up innocently, "What?"

"Did you just call me a stupid butt-head?"

"Yes, yes I did."

"_Stupid butt-head_ is all you can come up with?" he asked.

"I don't like to cuss," she said softly, her eyes returning to the book in her hands.

"Seriously, though. _Butt-head_? At least call me something less amusing, like _stupid jerk_ or something," he continued on.

Katara looked up once more, setting her book down on the table and, pushing her chair back, snarled, "My, aren't we talkative today?"

Zuko's mouth shut and he eyed the girl in front of him. _She's in a bad mood._ He shrugged. "Just around you."

She slowly lowered herself into her chair, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. "I don't know whether to be thrilled or confused."

"Both?" he guessed, the déjà vu suddenly very clear.

Katara blinked, and shrugged elegantly, "Both."

"You've had a bad day?" he guessed.

"It's none of your business," she grunted as she pulled the book into her lap and fingered the thin cover.

"I know that," he said after a short silence.

She looked up. "This is very out of character for you."

"What's out of character?"

"For you to be striking conversation with me. We're enemies, remember? You said so yourself." She was standing.

_Don't go_.

"I'm having a good day," he said. He was standing, too; a little too fast.

"Good for you." She threw her backpack over her shoulder. "I'll see you la – Actually, I probably won't." She glanced back at him seriously, her gaze trailing over him quickly before she turned her back to him. "Bye."

He didn't stop her as she turned the corner and the bell rang and kids burst out of the classrooms to go to their next class. "…Bye."


	32. Chapter 31

O_ne of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**Note: **Alright, it took me a while to get this updated because I hosted the Avatar Club party last night to watch _the Headband_. Pretty good episode, I must admit, but I wasn't so pleased with it that I would make fanart about it. Haha. Aang looks cute in his headband. XD What a little kid. And to those Zutarians that saw the episode: Don't fear! Zutarians "never give up, never surrender!" (A cupcake to those who can name what movie the quote came from.)

Okay, well, enjoy this chapter. Could have been better, but I was pleased with it. Zuko is so witty.

-U.B

* * *

**Chapter 31:**

Katara had known from the start that she shouldn't have gotten out of bed that morning.

Waking up with the sniffles and a sore throat just called out the day. Stubbing her toe on her door and hitting her head on her bed post had just been the ice-cream filling of a cake.

The day was doomed from the start.

Now she sat in history class, staring down at an eighty on a test and maybe, just maybe this day was getting better. All hopes were swiped off the table when the bell rang and waiting for her just outside the door was Zuko. The last person she wanted to see.

"Are you stalking me?" Katara wondered through a stuffy nose.

"So you did get sick," mused Zuko as he came into step beside her, "Interesting."

"Don't doubt my mad logic," Katara grumbled as she came up to her locker. Zuko leaned against the metal door beside hers, studying her profile as she slowly began to turn the dial.

"Would never dare to," he answered with a slight smirk. She opened the door, effectively blocking his view of her face. Sighing, Zuko placed his back against the adjacent locker, his arms crossed in front of his chest. "So."

Katara leaned back slightly on her heels, one hand keeping her steady by gripping the metal door, to peer at Zuko suspiciously. "So." She disappeared behind the flap of door once more, her eyes searching for no book in particular. She just didn't want to look at him. Whenever she looked at him, something funny flipped in her stomach.

It was unnerving.

But she couldn't stay like that forever. She still had another class to go before her free period. So with a resigned sigh she closed the door, spinning the lock for good measure, before turning to face him. "I've got to go math."

"Let's go," he suggested, swinging his arm in either direction.

Katara felt her jaw drop momentarily in surprise, before she stuttered out a, "What?"

Zuko leaned against one shoulder, a smirk spreading across his lips once more, "You heard me."

Katara, blushing oh-so-prettily, nodded and began walking off toward class, Zuko in step beside her. They were silent the whole way. Finally they came to the doorway and Zuko grabbed her arm, stopping her.

Katara's blue eyes immediately turned to meet his gaze, this time they were narrowed in pure, unshielded suspicion. There was something else… "Let me go." There, he could hear it in her voice even over the shouting of the busy passing-period hall. It was fear.

"Listen," he pulled her slightly closer, his eyes not meeting hers but his lips close enough to her ears to make her shiver slightly, "if you want your necklace back, meet me in the alley after school. Bring the monk."

Katara scoffed slightly and pulled hard enough to break his grip from her arm. "Yeah right," she grumbled as she left him standing outside the classroom, the halls slowly becoming empty as the tardy bell rang.

Zuko felt his fist contact with the nearest wall. She was always leaving him like that. Slowly, he turned on his heels and made his way to his ally. It had been worth a shot.

**-O-**

"Promise me you won't do anything, Aang," Katara begged.

"Do what, when, how?" Aang questioned innocently as he threw his backpack over his shoulder, readjusting his beanie as he did so.

"Please, Aang," Katara begged, "I don't want to regret telling you Zuko's stupid ploy."

Aang laughed half-heartedly, "Don't worry about it, Katara, I won't try anything. I just didn't know that he had your choker."

Katara frowned slightly, pulling her field hockey stick over her shoulder casually. She was going to be late to practice today; she was heading straight to the nurse to get some Advil for her splitting headache. The halls were already empty.

Aang laughed once more at the look on his best friend's face. "Katara, I said don't worry about it." He started moving, and Katara was quick to get into step beside him, "I'm not stupid enough to go chasing after that hot-head."

Katara sighed slightly. "I know."

"And you shouldn't be so stupid to go off and play field hockey with your cold!" Aang chastised, "I've hardly ever seen you get sick before, and you should rest."

"I'm fine," Katara stopped momentarily, "Okay, I'll see you later."

"Good luck at the nurse's."

And like that, the two friends parted ways. Katara to keep her word and go see the nurse, and Aang to go get back his best friend's necklace.

**-O-**

"You've got something I want."

Zuko turned his head toward the monk, who stood at the mouth of the ally, glaring at the older teen in determination. "Hair?" Zuko wondered aloud, and he pulled away the cigarette from his mouth as a victorious smirk grew on his lips at the monk's fisted reaction.

"Her necklace," Aang growled in return, his teeth clenched so hard his head was hurting. He stepped forward, and then began a long, slow pace toward Zuko. "Give it to me."

Zuko's gaze hardened, all mockery gone from his features, and suddenly he was standing. He faced the child monk with a glint in his eye and said, "No."

Aang stormed up to Zuko, and declared once more, "Give it to me!"

Zuko grabbed Aang by the collar and threw him against the wall angrily, the monk glared straight back into his eyes defiantly, "It's amazing that the one thing keeping me from home is a little kid," he snarled.

Aang, whose hands had found themselves around Zuko's wrist, smirked slightly, "I find it hilarious that you want to keep a necklace," Aang tilted his head to the side, "Blue just doesn't look that good on you."

Zuko tightened his grip on the boy's yellow collar before shoving him up against the red brick wall once more. The monk had looked perfectly calm up until that moment, when Zuko pulled back his free hand and fisted it, a slow smirk spreading on his lips.

"Aang!" It was an ear-shattering cry, and it echoed off of the closed walls around the alley. Aang looked to the mouth and saw Katara, standing there with wide eyes. "Zuko! Stop!" Aang looked back at Zuko and was slightly unnerved by the look in the hot-headed teen's eyes.

And right when Zuko began to lower his fist, Aang saw it. Sticking from the pocket of his jeans was a blue ribbon. Aang took his chance; pulling back a fist he punched Zuko in the nose. He dropped Aang to the floor, shouted out in pain as his hands when reflexively to cover the hurt appendage.

"What the hell?" Zuko yelled out in anger through his covered mouth. Aang ducked under one of Zuko's swinging arms and grabbed the ribbon, before spinning out of reach from the teen.

"Katara, let's go!" Aang bolted immediately, running past his friend in a wild escape.

Katara did not follow. She stood at the mouth of the cave, watching Zuko as he slowly squatted onto the floor, wiping at his bleeding nose with his T-shirt. Sucking in her bottom lip and biting on it nervously, Katara approached him.

Bending down slowly in front of him, she studied his face. He refused to meet her eyes. "You were asking for it," she said softly, and even though she was speaking in a voice that cracked and was cloudy with a stuffy nose, the five words carried serious truth. "You shouldn't have taken my necklace." She started to stand.

"Katara."

She stopped and looked at him from over her shoulder.

"I would have given it back."

She blinked blankly before turning away from him, her eyes downcast as she began walking back toward her fallen bags.

"I'm sure you would have."

Her voice was painted in the sharp strokes of sarcasm, and Zuko found he deserved every detail of it.


	33. Chapter 32

O_ne of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**Note: **Sorry it took so long to get this update up this weekend. I have to write a paper, and I was busy bathing in my own misery (the fact that I still don't have a homecoming date has absolutely _nothing_ to do with it). Anyways, enjoy this. It has implicated Zutara in it. X3 Enjoy. -U.B

* * *

**Chapter 32:**

Sighing, Zuko shut the book he had been reading. It was useless to clear his mind; even his meditating didn't work. Zuko rubbed his eyes with his hands. Maybe sleep would get her out of his mind.

He settled under his gold comforter and rolled over, his relieved sigh echoing back toward him. His eyebrow rose in confusion; that wasn't his sigh. Slowly, hesitantly, he lifted the sheets and stared into sleepy blue eyes.

A slow smile spread across her lovely coconut tanned face, "Ready for bed, Zuzu?" and slowly she leaned up to meet his lips and they were so soft and so nice…

Zuko shot up in his bed, throwing the sheets off of his body. He glanced to his left, at the area in which just a moment before the girl – that wretched, beautiful girl that haunted his dreams – had lay. Of course she wasn't there. He rested a hand against his mattress and lowered his head in exhaustion.

If he kept waking up like this in the middle of the night, having dreams about Katara like that, he'd go crazy. He fell back against his pillow, draping his arms across his eyes in aggravation.

She plagued his dreams, and sometimes they were so _real_. He had known from the minute he first saw her she would be an interesting character to meet, but he had never foreseen _this_. Whatever 'this' was.

He had never been this interested in a girl before. She was just so complex, so confusing. Katara was many things that Zuko couldn't even begin to put a finger on. One thing Zuko knew for sure, however, was that Katara was not just a blockade anymore.

At one point in time, she had just been a barrier separating him from the young monk. She had always been there; she would stand up for her friend in an instant. _She even had the nerve to hit me! _Zuko absently ran a hand against his chin, the area she had punched him near the beginning of the year. She was determined, brave, and loyal. She had morality. She had traits other girls her age _didn't_ have.

And for some reason that made Zuko intrigued even more.

If only she wasn't so _aggravating_!

_But now she's not just a hurdle_, Zuko considered as he readjusted his arms to support his head against his pillow. No, Katara was far worse than a hurdle. She was something Zuko had to stop and think about. Because that's what she did to him. She made him stop and smell the roses – something Zuko hated to do because one, he was allergic to roses and, two, he hated doubt. And she had a bad tendency to place doubt in his head.

If only her brother – what was his name again? – wasn't so protective of her. If only she wasn't involved with the monk. 'If only's' didn't help his situation.

Zuko could still remember vividly when they danced. He could still feel her pressed against him; at first uncomfortably, but then she relaxed because then she got into the music. He could still feel that reaction to her, that sudden excitement; his heart beating faster, his lips drying, sweaty palms. All the symptoms of an illness he didn't want to catch.

"_Y-You really don't have to do this…I can handle Jet. I've done it before."_

"_Uncomfortable?"_ he had asked

"_N-No, just surprised that you even care."_

She had been uncomfortable, but even so her proud words stung him slightly. What, did she think him a heartless monster? He was hardly heartless. A monster – he vaguely brushed two fingers against his scarred eye – well, maybe he was a monster. But he wasn't heartless.

If he had been heartless, he would have never been banished from his home.

He had been so close the night of the dance. So damn close to kissing her. Just a few more inches, and he could have captured her lips with his and maybe, just maybe, his dreams would have finally ceased.

But now that he thought about it, lying on his bed staring up at his white ceiling trying to count the dots, his dreams would not have stopped. If he had kissed her, the dreams would have gotten worse. He might as well keep going the way he was – keep his dreams at the PG-13 level they were at.

Zuko grumbled darkly and readjusted himself once more on his mattress, running a hand over his face. He couldn't believe he had let that stupid kid punch him today. And she had been the cause of the distraction! He touched his nose – thank the gods, it wasn't broken – and closed his eyes.

That kid was almost too much trouble for his worth. And Katara wouldn't stop getting in the way. With her jumping in like that, out of nowhere…it had completely caught him off guard. He had promised himself that if Katara did come with the child monk, he would not use violence. When the kid had come without her, he had chosen his path. But then she appeared and he had to stop.

He didn't want to seem _heartless_.

That would do nothing for him.

"_You were asking for it."_

The words echoed in his head and he wanted to hit it against the nearest wall – he would do anything to get her voice out of his head. He had been asking for it. He needed to come up with a better plan. A much better plan. One that didn't entail getting Katara involved. Because if Katara was concerned, he could kiss his victory good-bye.

Of course, he had told her that if he wanted her necklace back than to bring the child to him. But he had _planned_ that she wouldn't actually come. Of course she wouldn't actually come! She wouldn't just hand the kid over to him like that for a silly necklace. He had guessed she would run to the kid and tell him all about Zuko's little plan, and the child would have come on his own. Despite Katara's warning.

Because although Katara seemed blind to the child affections for her, Zuko was not. That kid would do anything for Katara, and he knew it. Zuko knew it. Katara's brother knew it. Katara was just blind to younger fondness.

She was affected by _him_ though. A slow smirk caressed Zuko's tired expression and he couldn't help the sharp laugh that escaped his parted lips. Oh yes, she was affected by him no matter how many times she might deny it. He could tell. He hoped he could tell.

At least, he was pretty sure she was affected. Or were the blushes misleading? The slight smiles? The fact that she couldn't keep her words when she declared they were just enemies had to be _something_.

Then again, she had a lot of guys running after her. Zuko could count them on his fingers, but they were all much more consistent than himself. Zuko rubbed his chin thoughtfully. He knew why Jet liked to make her smile – _Her smile is beautiful_. It lit up the day. And he understood why Haru liked to be close to Katara – _Because when you're around her it's like you don't need to think about anything else, because Katara is always there to make things better_. And Zuko understood why the monk enjoyed his time with her, understood why he wanted to just be with her – _Katara is the kind of girl who takes anyone under her wing and nurtures them_.

Zuko wondered if she would ever take _him_ under her wing. He doubted it. He had made the worst impression from the start…But it seemed like things were going to get better. After all, instead of injuring him even more in the alley way she had just spoken to him.

"_I would have given it back."_

"_I'm sure you would have." _

He had kept that necklace for so long. His hand aimlessly landed against his wood bedside table, on the area which had held that beautiful blue stone for so long. It was empty now. He withdrew his hand and sighed heavily. It wasn't like he was _obsessed_ with her or anything. That necklace had been an important asset to his original plan…which had failed. But then another plan had drawn itself around the necklace, one that ensured everyone would be happy…except the child. That had also failed.

All thanks to Katara.

And her stupid pretty girl-ness.

Zuko groaned and hoped that she was suffering just as much as he was. He hadn't had a good night's sleep in a long time. Turning over onto his side and pulling his covers of to his chin, Zuko yawned. He hoped she was suffering just as much as he was, not physically but mentally. Those dreams were making him crazy.

As he slowly started to drift into sleep, Zuko wondered to himself: _I wonder if her lips are really that soft_.


	34. Chapter 33

O_ne of These Days  
_by Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**Note: **Alright, I'd like to apologize to all the readers. This has actually been sitting around on my computer for months now. What happened was that while I was writing one day, working on this stupid chapter, my mind went completely blank! That's right, a bad case of writer's block has kept me away. That, and the fact that I was having real life issues to deal with. But, since summer is only about three weeks away, I'll be working on this story like a superhero! Who knows, maybe I'll look for a beta? Might need one. I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed so far, trying to get my butt back into gear. That includes **midnightiris**, **DragonFlame-DuskJ**, and **bluudyrabbitofportland.** Thanks guys. -U.B

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Chapter 33:

Sokka ran his hand over Katara's forehead, his eyes filled with a rare reflection of hesitation

Sokka ran his hand over Katara's forehead, his eyes filled with a rare reflection of hesitation. "Her fever is getting worse."

Aang looked at Sokka, "How can you tell?"

Sokka turned his gaze from his shivering sister to the young monk, "It's just instinct."

Katara snorted from where she was under her covers, rubbing her eye with one hand, "You know what I love about you Sokka? The fact that you _think_ you have natural instincts."

Sokka gritted his teeth and glared at his sick sister, adding to his earlier statement: "… and the fact that when Katara has a fever, she gets the personality of a wolverine."

"We're running out of medicine," Gran-Gran commented as she entered the small room, carrying a small jar of purple liquid and a spoon. "We'll need to go get some soon."

Sokka rubbed his chin, "Isn't there a pharmacy close by? We could go there to get the medicine."

"Katara is much too sick to come with us. One of you should stay here with her," Gran-Gran mentioned as she placed the spoon to Katara's dry lips.

Sokka nodded and as he opened his mouth to speak, he cough loudly and then groaned. "Uhg."

"Oh no!" Aang exclaimed, "Not you too!"

"Relax, Aang," Sokka grumbled as he sniffled, "it was just a little cough. I'm fine." But the second he finished speaking he broke off into a heart-stopping cough that had Aang and Gran-Gran looking at him worriedly.

"That's no little cough. Stay here with Katara, Sokka." Aang turned to Gran-Gran, determined to heal his friends back to ship-shape health. "I'll come with you, Gran-Gran Kanna."

As Kanna moved out of the room, Aang glanced back at Momo and Appa from where they lay together on the floor. "Keep an eye on 'em, guys. We'll be back soon!"

As Kanna and Aang stepped out onto the porch, Kanna looked at the skies, "We could walk on foot." Lightning struck along the gray clouds and the two exchanged glances.

"Maybe we should take the car," Aang suggested nervously and Kanna nodded in agreement, going back inside to grab the keys.

* * *

Kanna looked over to Aang as she turned the car off. "Won't you go in for this old woman, Aang?" Gran-Gran requested, "My old bones sometimes work against me, and I might be too slow. You are so much younger, after all, and still quick on your feet."

"Right, I'll be out in a few minutes." As Aang stepped out into the rain, he realized that Gran-Gran had been making excuses. He was soaked in three seconds flat. Gran-Gran hadn't wanted to get wet. Aang huffed indignantly, "Lazy bum."

The bell on the door sounded his entrance into the small pharmacy and Aang looked around curiously, for the building was fairly empty. Something brushed against his leg and he looked down, spotting a fat white cat. It purred as it rubbed its head against his leg, and a voice called out.

"Miyuki?" an old woman appeared behind the counter and grinned after a moment. "Why, another customer. Welcome."

"I need some medicine for my friends. They have fevers and they've been coughing and—"

"Settle down, young man. Your friends are going to be fine." The old woman motioned with her hand for him to follow and she disappeared behind a door. Aang, confused, ducked under the counter gate and followed. "You know," she continued as she began to take out a bowl and some ingredients, "I make all my medicines by hand. Have been for over forty years! There used to be more of us, but they've all left. Now it's just me and Miyuki."

The cat mewed in agreement as it jumped onto the table where the woman worked; purring loudly as Aang absently rubbed its head. "That's nice," Aang said.

"Wounded people come by now and again and thanks to my remedies they always leave in better shape than when they arrive," she added with an almost proud grin at her cat. She began to stir the ingredients with a steady hand.

"That's nice," Aang repeated. _She sounds like a commercial_, Aang thought off-handedly. "Are you almost done?"

"Hold on, just one more ingredient." The herbalist disappeared behind a glass door that had frost from the inside, and Aang guessed it was where she grew her plants. When she returned, she held out a leaf with a valiant gleam in her eye, "Here's what I was looking for! Plum blossom!"

"Finally!" Aang said happily, and Miyuki mewed in agreement. As the herbalist stirred the plum blossom into the bowl, Aang thanked her.

"Finished."

Aang grabbed the bowl eagerly, "Thanks again for all your help!"

The woman, looking aghast, crumpled up the newspaper she had been mixing her herbs on top of and threw it at Aang's head. "What do you think you're doing?" she demanded.

Aang looked at the bowl, and then back at the herbalist, abashed. "Taking the cure to my friends?"

The woman laughed and took the bowl away from Aang, setting it down in front of Miyuki. "This isn't a cure, its Miyuki's dinner! Plum blossom is her favorite."

"What about my friends?" Aang asked, exasperated.

"All they've got is a cold," the woman answered simply, "have them soak themselves in a nice warm bath, and use mint leaves."

"Why mint leaves?"

"Helps the skin." She passed him a small bag, which Aang could only imagine held the leaves inside.

Aang blinked and then repeated wearily, "The _skin_?"

"Makes it nice and smooth," the old woman said with a crooked grin as she led Aang back to the front.

Aang stood on the other side of the counter, and said pointblank, "You're insane, aren't you?"

The old woman grinned, "That's right! Now, have a nice day!"

When Aang came back outside, the sun was shining brightly, the clouds passing under the sun quickly. But when he turned to look for Gran-Gran, his gaze was met with wide, golden eyes. "Zuko!" Aang said angrily.

Zuko said nothing, merely stared. An old man beside Zuko grinned ear from ear, "Ah, Zuko! Is this a friend from school?"

Zuko frowned in disgust, "Hardly." His expression suddenly changed when he saw the bag in Aang's hands. _Is she still not feeling better?_

Iroh removed his hand from his nephew's shoulder to study the young boy in front of him, the one with the beanie on his head, and suddenly understood. He stepped back to study him further, but Zuko grabbed his uncle's jacket and began to pull him along. "Come on, Uncle."

"Right, right," Iroh muttered as he glanced behind his shoulder at the young boy, who was easing into a car.

"Was that Zuko?" wondered Gran-Gran, "Who was that strapping gentleman with him? Was that is uncle, do you think?"

Aang, disquieted, just shrugged his shoulders.

Gran-Gran hummed in appreciation as she watched them enter the pharmacy as she pulled away.

* * *

Aang fell back onto the chair in Katara's room, exhausted from his trip.

"Hey, Aang!" Sokka greeted with a choked voice, "How was your trip? Did you make any new friends?"

Aang covered his eyes with one arm, leaning back, "No, but I think Gran-Gran did…"

At that moment, Gran-Gran came into the room with a wide smile, "Oh, I was right! He _is_ a gentleman! And guess what, they're coming to dinner!"


	35. Chapter 34

_One of These Days  
_By Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**Note:** This is the dinner night. A week has passed since Katara and Sokka got sick, I felt I should explain that before anyone reads further. And someone asked when Toph was going to be introduced, so I'm going to answer that, since it's a fitting question: She won't be coming until the sequel, if I ever get to it. If you haven't noticed, most of the chapters are based on events in the first season. So, of course, the second book will have second season themes. What stinks is that by the looks of things, this story is going to be _long_. Much, much longer than I had originally planned. I mean, this chapter was completely off-book (meaning it wasn't planned...which is kind'a cool, not gonna lie). But I'm gonna truck through it, and I hope you guys will, too! Enjoy this chapter, and leave some lovin'! –U.B

* * *

**Chapter 34:**

Zuko groaned, "Uncle, do I have to go?"

"It is impolite to not show up, Zuko," Iroh repeated for what felt like the tenth time. He turned away from the mirror to assess his nephew with amusement. "Why are you wearing a tux?"

"You told me to!" Zuko exclaimed.

"No, I said to wear your suit. The casual one." When Zuko's mind continued to draw a blank, Iroh sighed and walked into his nephew's room and pulled out a gray-black suit from his closet. "This one."

Zuko took the suit and let out a quivering breath. "Just tell them I got sick or something," he mumbled even as he began to disrobe, "they won't have a problem if _I_ don't come."

"You will come," Iroh said with finality, as he pulled out a pale blue button-down. "It's just dinner, Nephew. And it will be a home-cooked meal. Tell me, when was the last time we ate something _home-cooked_?"

Zuko sighed. "Years," he admitted.

"Exactly," Iroh took Zuko's tux and hung it up in the closet again. "They have opened their home to us, Zuko, and you are to behave."

"The monk," Zuko said at last, as he pulled up his pants and buckled them.

"What about him?"

"He _lives_ with them," Zuko explained. "He'll be there."

Iroh blinked and then burst into a warm, ironic laughter. "Well," he said with a chuckle, "that's a little unexpected, but not a problem. Be civil."

Zuko sighed again and sat back onto his bed, rubbing his forehead. "How?"

Iroh rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "You were good at it once before, my nephew. You are your mother's child, after all. It's there." Before he left, he turned back to Zuko, who was knotting a tie all wrong, "No tie, Zuko. It's only dinner."

Zuko groaned and hit his head against the wall gently.

* * *

Katara groaned and fell back onto Gran-Gran's bed, her arms covering her eyes. "Do I have to?" she asked.

"Yes," Gran-Gran said firmly as she brushed out her hair.

Katara rolled over onto her stomach, resting her chin in her hands. "But he's insufferable, Gran-Gran!" she said in exasperation, "I can hardly handle him at school! I just ignored him when he was working with Sokka here, but…but…" Katara blew on a piece of hair that dangled in front of her face, "I thought he was out of here for good! Why'd you invite them to dinner?"

"Katara," Gran-Gran said, her voice stricken, "I know you are stubborn, but I never considered you _unkind_." Katara pursed her lips quietly. "They are two men living at home without a woman," Gran-Gran explained, "how many home-cooked meals do you think they have?"

"…None?"

"That's right."

Katara sighed and pulled her hair over her shoulder, and began to run her fingers idly through it. "You're right; it's probably no big deal. Zuko most likely won't come."

"You better hope he does," Gran-Gran huffed, "or I'll blame you and your incivility toward him."

Katara began to braid her hair, rolling her eyes at her grandmother's words. "If he doesn't come, it's probably because of your cooking," she joked tenderly.

Gran-Gran turned in her seat to look at Katara carefully. Katara was surprised by her grandmother's calculating stare, and glanced away nervously. "Katara…" Gran-Gran began but at that moment the door swung open and Sokka walked in, his eyes covered.

"Everyone decent?" he asked, blushing.

"Yes, Sokka," Katara said. As he removed his hands, Katara gasped, "Oh no; Gran-Gran's in her undergarments!" Sokka, caught off guard, cried out and covered his eyes, leaving Katara and Kanna laughing at his reaction. "I'm kidding, Sokka! We're decent."

Sokka grumbled and removed his hands, glaring at his sister. "They just called, they'll be here soon." He didn't seem too happy with the evening arrangements either.

"Good, good," Gran-Gran stood. "Then, let's get my assistant chef and go put the finishing touches on those chickens." As she began to leave, Kanna turned thoughtfully back to her granddaughter. "It's only dinner, Katara, there's no need for the cocktail dress."

Katara stood and self-consciously patted down the light pink skirt of the dress, blushing. "It's not a…" But Kanna's amusement, and knowing look, made Katara duck away. "I'll go change."

"Good girl."

* * *

Aang absentmindedly spread the rosemary base over the chicken, his eyes staring blankly. "—ng! Aang! Child, you're drowning the poor birds!" Aang shook himself and gasped, flinging the baster – and its deliciously slippery contents – over his head and all over the floor.

Sighing, Gran-Gran grabbed a wet paper towel. "I'm sorry, Gran-Gran Kanna!" Aang choked out, and before the old woman could bend over to clean up his mess, he took the towel gently away from her and began to mop it up.

Gran-Gran turned back to the food. "What's on your mind, young monk?" she wondered.

Aang sighed, and dumped the paper towel into the trashcan. "Nothing. I'm just tired, I guess. It's been a long week."

"That it has," Kanna agreed thoughtfully as she broke lemons over the sizzling poultry. "But perhaps, it's the dinner that's on your mind?"

Aang cleaned out the baster, keeping his eyes downcast. "I'm just confused, is all."

"Yes," she agreed. "You want to know why I invited them, as well." Aang glanced over at Gran-Gran and then away. "I may be old, child, but I am no fool. I've seen the bruises, Katara's scowl, and Sokka's discomfort. I know what Zuko has done."

Aang spun around. "Then why invite him _here_? He was gone! And you allowed him to come back!"

Gran-Gran remained undeterred by his outburst, and merely took another lemon in her hand. "Because," she said softly, "you want to keep your friends close, but the enemies closest. Perhaps it would be wisest to learn more about him before you judge him." Kanna finally turned her keen gaze on the young teenager, "I think that we overestimate his motives."

Aang looked down at the running tap and then sighed. At that moment, the doorbell rang and Gran-Gran stopped Aang from leaving the kitchen with a shake of her head. She motioned for Aang to be silent, and he obeyed loyally, and was surprised to hear Katara's familiar, light step quickly run down the stairs.

"I got it, I got it!"

Katara slid to a stop in front of the door, and straightened her new dress with untalented fingers. When she opened the door, she was greeted by a short, fat old man with a kind smile and a scowling Zuko, his arms crossed over his chest. Her forced smile faltered slightly as she took in Zuko's suit, and a blush rose up her cheeks.

"Good evening, young lady," Iroh greeted.

Katara stupidly stepped aside and welcomed them into her home. She mentioned it was, in fact, a fine evening, and then squeaked out for Sokka and the others to come and greet the guests.

Because Zuko's stare, when he realized who had opened the door, had been so piercing – so intense – that it had made her uncomfortable.

"Hello, Iroh! Welcome to our home!" Gran-Gran greeted as she entered the foyer, Aang following distantly behind.

Sokka came down the stairs, buttoning his last button with a grim smile. "What's up, Zuko?"

Zuko shrugged, but a nudge from Iroh caused a sigh to escape and soon after, "The usual." And for a moment, the conversation was lacking but Iroh's quick wit brought it back.

"And, I'm sorry, but this beautiful young lady opened the door but I'm not sure who she is."

"Oh, excuse me," Kanna laughed, "This is my granddaughter Katara. That's her brother Sokka. And this is Aang," Gran-Gran brought Aang forward with one hand.

"It's a pleasure," Iroh said warmly.

For a moment, they fell back into awkward silence. "Why are we just sitting around in here? Won't you come into the living room?" Gran-Gran finally said, and motioned for everyone to follow her. Aang sat down on one of the couches, and as Zuko made his way to sit beside him, Katara moved forward and beat him to it. Zuko, raising an eyebrow, merely sat down beside her.

"So," Iroh said, leaning forward, staring at Katara with a curious, almost entertained, look, "_you_ must be the one who punched my nephew at the beginning of the year."

Katara's eyes widened, and she blushed in embarrassment. Sokka laughed heartily at Zuko's expense, but Gran-Gran simply lifted an eyebrow. "No," Katara said, self-consciously aware of the said nephew sitting heatedly beside her, "I wouldn't call it a _punch_."

Sokka, through his chuckles, leaned over from his chair and patted Katara on the knee. "Don't be so modest!" he said, "You gave Zuko stars! He had a bruise on his chin for _weeks_!"

Katara wanted to disappear into the cushions of the couch. "Did I know about this?" Gran-Gran asked, her calm, hostess voice masking the hard, suspicious tone of a grandparent.

"You might've," Aang said, "Headmaster Zhao probably called at some point."

Gran-Gran nodded, but her curiosity didn't seem appeased. "Why did you punch him?"

The room got quiet, and Aang cleared his throat. Katara looked down at her hands, clenched them into fists, and slipped them under her legs. Gran-Gran nodded again, cleared her throat, and stood. "Well, Aang, shall we go check on the chicken?"

Aang stood as well, and made his way through the swinging door and into the kitchen.

Sokka eyed Zuko, how close he was sitting to his sister, and decided it was a good idea to excuse Katara. "Katara, I think Appa needs to use the bathroom." He nodded toward the large dog sleeping soundly against the furthest wall.

Katara looked at her brother. "Sokka, Appa's fine."

"No," Sokka said again, this time with more emphasis, "I _think_ he wants _you_ to take _him_ on a _walk_ before _dinner_."

"But it's cold outside!" Katara snapped, irritated.

"Then get a jacket!" Sokka replied angrily, "Why are you wearing that dress, anyways? It's a short sleeved!"

Katara blushed, and stood, excusing herself. Instead of answering, she went and grabbed a jacket from a closet and opened the screen door to the backyard and Appa, in response, lifted his head with a lazy yawn and stood.

"Sokka, can you come here please?" called Gran-Gran from the kitchen.

Sighing, Sokka stood to leave, but not before he gave Zuko a hard, challenging look. Once Sokka was out of sight, and out of the room, Zuko stood. "I need some air," he muttered.

Iroh merely nodded and walked toward the fireplace to look at the picture frames collecting dust on the mantel.

* * *

Katara shivered, grumbling under her breath. "Stupid Sokka. I just got better; I don't need to get sick _again_."

She heard the screen door close, and she turned, expecting to see her brother. Zuko gave her a sheepish half smile, and in return she turned back to watching Appa sniff the only tree in their tiny backyard. Her teeth clenched in a hopeless effort to stop them from chattering.

"Hey," he said. His fingers brushed over the cigarette in his pocket temptingly, but instead he just walked until he stood beside her, "How do you feel? I never got the chance to ask you at school this week."

"I'm fine," she muttered. _Come on, Appa. You can pee faster than this._

Zuko nodded, and watched Appa for a moment before saying, "You're wearing your necklace."

Katara snorted, crossed her arms over her chest. "Of course," she said, and her voice turned cold, "It's in its rightful place, don't you think?"

Zuko ignored the fact that he was beginning to sweat. "You hate me."

Katara sighed. "I don't _hate_ you. Strongly dis_trust_, yes. Hate, no."

Zuko rolled his eyes, his hands in his pockets. "Great," he said sarcastically.

"Well, you give me no choice!" Katara replied heatedly, turning to face him, "What am I supposed to think when one minute you're trying to hurt my best friend and the next you're talking to me like nothing happened!"

"And what about _you_?" he said, "What _are_ we, Katara?" The sound of her name coming from him always surprised her, but this time it sent chills down her spine. "Friends or enemies?"

Katara, taken off guard, sputtered. Zuko smirked and took a step forward, and Katara took a hesitant step back. "Th-That's easy. It's always been easy. We're…" she gulped as he took another step toward her, and her feet refused to move, "…enemies. Of course."

Zuko was so close she could feel his breath brush against her cheeks, leaving a warm, tingly feeling behind.

"Of course…" he said distantly. In a hushed voice he added, "You look…nice…tonight,"

Katara blushed and, astonished, thanked him.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, and a hand absently reached up and tucked a loose strand of her auburn hair behind an ear.

She didn't know what he was apologizing for – was it for confusing her, for stealing her necklace, for everything he'd done? – but she just whispered, "…Okay…"

Was he getting closer, or was his face just getting bigger? Katara felt her panic rise, and suddenly she spotted Appa out of the corner of her eye and she swung around. "Good boy, Appa!" her voice had hit a new pitch, "Come on, let's go inside now!"

Zuko watched her hurry back inside and he glanced up at the sky. _Damn it. _And he followed her back inside.

* * *

"Well, this was fun," Gran-Gran commented as she walked her guests outside.

"Yes," Uncle agreed with an equally warm, suddenly very mischievous-looking, smile, "Perhaps we should do it again sometime?"

"That would be nice," the old woman replied. She turned to Zuko, assessed his appearance one last time, and said, "You looked very nice tonight, Zuko."

"Thank you," Zuko said with his arms crossed over his chest, "The meal was really great."

Gran-Gran nodded, pleased. "Have a safe ride home," she said. "Good night."

As they drove off, Gran-Gran waved a final good-bye and turned back to see Katara leaning against the doorpost, her face hard. "Katara?" Gran-Gran asked curiously.

"So, they're gone?"

"Yes," Gran-Gran replied.

Katara nodded, pursed her lips, and walked back inside. _Why do I feel like this won't be the only time he leaves without saying 'good bye'?_

* * *

"What a wonderful meal!" Iroh said, smiling broadly as he took off his coat. "Don't you think the meal was wonderful, Zuko?"

Zuko nodded, peeling his jacket away from him and draping it over the kitchen chair.

"Nice company, too," Iroh continued, eyeing his nephew. "The monk was quiet, wasn't he?" When his nephew merely shrugged, Iroh sighed dramatically. "The girl, on the other hand; handsome, but not very interesting."

Zuko turned his gaze sharply to his uncle, but refused to say anything.

"Modest, much too polite," Iroh continued, "She has a swimmer's body, though."

Zuko choked, taken aback. "Uncle!" he reproached.

"And you haven't noticed it, nephew?" Uncle pried, "I've seen your glances, even if she and her goof of a brother haven't."

"I don't know what you mean," growled Zuko. And as he left the kitchen, he heard his uncle's amused, knowing chuckle.


	36. Chapter 35

_One of These Days  
_By Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**Note:** Sorry it took a few weeks to get this up. A lot's been happening. My birthday was two weeks ago, so I'm officially 17, yay! I got my wisdom teeth pulled out last week. And now I'm moving out of my room, so I'm cleaning and packing. I finally got this chapter done, though! I hope it doesn't disappoint! There's a lot, and I think it's pretty long! Sorry again for the wait! Enjoy and don't forget to review! –U.B

* * *

**Chapter 35:**

"So, what are you going to do now?"

Katara packed her cleats into her sports bag and stretched her arms over her head. Her smile was wide and relaxed; another field hockey season successfully over. She wouldn't have a sport until the spring, when she would take up softball. She could slow down and concentrate solely on her studies.

"Absolutely nothing."

Ling smiled in return, "Sounds good."

"What about you?" Katara threw her sports bag over her shoulder and followed her teammate out of the locker room. Normally Katara hated being around the infuriating gossip-obsessed teenager, but today was special. Today was the last day of field hockey, and that meant the last day to ever have an obligation to talk to Ling.

Ling was a dangerous person when information was placed in front of her. She and Katara had gained a mutual understanding: they were only friends during the beginning of the year. There was no need for anything afterward, because Ling hung out with the more popular – much more crazy – crowd and Katara tried to stay away from all that.

"Basketball," admitted Ling, and she grimaced. "My parents are demanding it."

Aang waved from the bench he sat at waiting for Katara, and Katara waved back before turning to Ling. "Well, good luck with it. I'll come to a game," and she smiled hesitantly to Ling.

Ling studied Aang thoughtfully. "The fish still has it for you, then?" By 'fish' she meant Aang, and Katara knew where this was going.

"I don't know what you mean," she said automatically, her patience run thin. "I'll see you later," she said, even though she knew it was a lie.

When she reached Aang, she sighed.

"So, you still aren't doing a sport for the winter season?" Aang asked doubtfully.

"I don't like basketball and the soccer program sucks here," Katara explained for the zillionth time that day, taking her backpack from Aang and throwing it over her shoulder.

"Then find a team outside of school," Aang said quickly. "Or try something new! I was thinking of karate classes after school or something!"

Katara snorted and looked at her friend in amusement. Aang had the attention span of a rather large squirrel; there was no way that child could have enough patience for karate. He'd want to skip all the belts in between white and black, just so he could get third degree!

Katara sighed, her breath releasing a small puff of vapor in the chilly air. Aang continued to talk about different activities they could do, but Katara slowly began to tune him out, her eyes traveling the trees and news bulletins they passed. One notice talked about free puppies, another had big bold prints on war.

"…or we could do a painting class, or maybe pottery. Monks are big on that kind of stuff, I think. Or the gardening club! Or we could try the free-runners club! That's always looked like fun to me…"

"What about swimming?" Katara said thoughtfully as she peeled a clean white piece of paper from a notice and held it out for Aang to read. When she was younger, she had joined a swim team and she remembered loving it. She had always enjoyed swimming; to Katara, water was intoxicating.

"Swimming!" Aang said with a pleased grin. Katara would give up her off-season for swimming. Aang read carefully, "Says here that this 'Coach Pakku' is starting a swim team and that all are eligible. It's not a school team, though."

"That doesn't matter," Katara said as she took the informative sheet from her friend, "sounds fun!" As they began to walk away, Katara sighed. "Do you think you can call that number tonight, Aang? I've got a huge history test tomorrow that I'm going over to Haru's house to study for."

"Haru's still tutoring you?" Aang wondered.

"Yeah," Katara said.

* * *

"Hello?" Katara grinned as entered the house through the open screen door. Ever since she had helped Haru find his dad, she had been welcomed like as family into his household. Katara and Haru's mom, Hana, were so close they could have passed for sisters.

"Oh, Katara!" The woman waddled from the kitchen, her smile wide. "Did you just get dropped off here? How great! Haru told me you were coming."

"Oh my gosh, look at you!" Katara gasped, running to the overly-pregnant woman, "Should you be standing? Walking? Shouldn't you sit down?"

Hana laughed, resting a hand on her belly. "You sound like my son. I'll walk around if I want to!"

"How many months is this now? Seven?"

"Eight…almost nine," her eyes softened tenderly, "Soon Haru will have a baby brother or sister. Can you imagine that boy as an older brother?"

Katara smiled. "Haru will make a great brother. I know it. He'll rise to the occasion!"

At that very moment, said subject of conversation stepped into the front room from an adjoining hallway. "Katara, when'd you get here?" Haru's smile turned downward as he noted his mother. "Mom, come on. What did the doctor tell you?"

Hana rolled her eyes toward Katara meaningfully before answering her son, "Oh, something about something that will do something."

Haru took his mother gently by the arm and led her back to the kitchen, settling her down in the chair. "He told you not to push yourself. Ever since that scare at Halloween…and now that the date is coming around…"

Haru's mother clucked softly, "Just like a mother hen. See, Katara? I told you."

"Mother!" Haru's cheeks reddened slightly before he righted himself and turned to Katara. "Well, ready to study?"

"Oh, sure. I've got all my stuff right here." Katara pointed with her thumb at the backpack hung loosely on her shoulders.

"Great! Come on, we'll go to my room so we can have some quiet."

As Haru began to lead the way, Katara attentively glanced over at Hana. _It's great she has such trust in her son like that_, she thought as she began to follow, _I'm sure any other mother would throw a hissy fit over this._

When Katara reached his room, she paused and looked around. It was a simply decorated room, painted a summer brown with a tan stripe running along the wall. A few pictures hung above his desk, and she noted that she was in one of them. Curious, she went over to look, placing her backpack on the gray carpet.

In the picture, Katara was grinning and holding up her index and middle finger in a peace sign. "I've never been in here before," she murmured as she studied the rest of the pictures. There were a few of Haru's other friends, and then some of his heroes.

"Really?" Haru flopped down on his bed and watched her carefully as she moved to his bookcase. It was weird seeing a girl in his room. He had never brought one back here, and he felt happy that Katara could be the first.

"We've always studied in the kitchen," Katara reminded him as she fingered some old novels and textbooks. She laughed softly when she saw a _Doctor Seuss_ and a _Where's Waldo?_ book. "I like it," she finally said, turning back toward him when her examination was done. "It suits you, Haru. Very you."

Haru grinned. "Thanks. I'd like to think so, too." For a moment, Katara turned back around and noticed other pictures hanging just beside his book case, and she went and looked at them. These were of scenery; beautiful snow-covered mountain peaks and beaches painted with the soft rainbow of a setting sun.

"Did you take these?"

"Ah, yeah." Haru wondered if Katara was alright, she seemed out of it, almost like she wasn't entirely there with him. "Is there something wrong?"

Honestly, Katara was exhausted. Besides field hockey, which in and of itself was a tiring sport, she had had to deal with Zuko all day. Well, maybe she hadn't been forced to do so, but it seemed that every passing period she would run into him. It had been maddening, especially since she was overly self-conscious around him now.

_Had we almost kissed that night?_ Katara kept wondering, _Would I have let him?_

In short, she became hyper-aware of where he was at all times. If he was walking down the staircase in the high school, even if her back was turned to him, she would spin around and watch him. If he entered a room, if he was walking passed her in the hall, if he was talking to someone she _knew_. And it was _maddening_.

"I'm fine," she said with a smile, "Come on, let's start studying."

_She's lying._ "Sure." He stood and removed some papers from a light tan papason chair, motioning for Katara to take a seat in it before he sat down in his desk chair. With a bit of struggle, he managed to pass Katara her heavy backpack so she could pull out the papers, and they began.

* * *

"Please come back again soon," Hana said enthusiastically as she stood leaning up against the door post, rebellious of her son's constant demands to _sit back down_. "You never come as often! You should stay for dinner, at least."

"No, thank you, though." Katara smiled sheepishly, "I'm pretty sure my Gran said she was making my favorite dinner tonight, so I can't really miss out."

Hana nodded knowingly and then said, "Well, I know you'll come more when the baby arrives. After all, you and Haru will be babysitting, won't you?"

"Mom, don't go soliciting job applications like that," Haru chastised tenderly and Hana gave her son a defiant glare from the corner of her eye. Haru sighed in exasperation.

"I'd love to be your baby's sitter!" Katara said, clapping her hands together eagerly. Haru couldn't help but picture Katara holding an infant in her arms and he was surprised by how motherly she would probably look. _Katara would make a nice mom_, Haru though off-handedly.

"Okay, okay. Come on, Katara, I'll drive you home."

"Alright. Thank you for having me, Hana!" Katara waved as she stepped down from the porch.

* * *

"Swimming?" Sokka read the paper doubtfully. "You haven't done that in, what, ten years?"

Katara stood in her room, clothed in her pajamas, drying her hair. "More like seven years, but I've been swimming since I was _three_, Sokka. Besides, I think it's perfect." Slowly, Katara draped her towel over her closet door. "I think Mom would have wanted me to join the team. She used to love watching us swim, remember?"

Sokka, who was leaning against her door frame, nodded with a distant look in his eyes. "Yeah. She said you had the necessary grace and perseverance but I had the speed and aggressiveness. She said that if there was a way for us to be the same person, that we would be the best swimmer out there."

"You never did it as a sport, though," Katara reminded softly.

"No," Sokka agreed, "I never saw much point." He folded the add carefully, and he heard Katara shuffling around her bed, pulling it down and readying it for the night. "You know, I was going to tell you not to do it."

Katara paused in confusion. "What? Why?"

"Because you'd be in a swimsuit in front of all those hormone-driven boys!" Sokka explained, lifting his eyes to meet Katara's gaze.

Katara laughed softly, shaking her head. "There will be other girls there, too, Sokka. It won't just be me. That would be a little awkward." She walked toward her brother. "Now leave, I want to sleep."

"I know," he muttered. Sokka couldn't help it if he was overly protective of his little sister. Katara was the only little sister he had, after all. And weren't big brothers born first so that they could protect their little sisters? "But I think you should do it. It'll be good for you, I think."

Katara smiled at her brother, her hand resting on top of her light switch. "Thank you, Sokka," she said, "I was waiting on baited breath for your approval and now that I have it, I shall skip off to meet the coach after school tomorrow without a care in the world."

Sokka blinked. "Now say that _without_ the sarcasm."

Katara laughed and began to shut her door. "Good night, dearest big brother of mine!"

Sokka rolled his eyes and backed away from her closing door. "Good _night_, darling little sister!"

After she closed her door, Katara flicked off the light and climbed clumsily into bed. She felt fully prepared for tomorrow's history exam, and she was pretty confident about meeting with the coach. Aang had called him like he promised, and Coach Pakku had seemed pleased to hear that there would be two more students coming to try-outs tomorrow.

Katara sighed and closed her eyes, relaxing into her cushy pillow.

_Tomorrow is going to be a good day, I can feel it_.

* * *

_Today is possibly one of the worst days of my life_.

Katara was at her locker, stuffing her books into her backpack. It was her free period and she had forgotten a book to read. _Guess I'll just have to do tonight's homework, which is better I guess._ Her free period was the last period of the day today, which meant she had already taken her history test. _I hope I don't waste all that studying I did with Haru. He's such a great friend, tutoring me like that._

Katara was more than just a little worn out. The test itself was disheartening, as most tests are, but on top of that she had had a math quiz she hadn't even known about. It wasn't a pop quiz; the teacher had forgotten to tell Katara's class about it. They still had to take it. _How stupid_, Katara thought darkly as she exited out of a glass door.

Suki had announced that her grandfather in another city was sick and that her father was sending her and her sisters out to stay with him for a few days, at least until her father was able to come do it himself. So that meant no Suki which meant Sokka would be more irritating than he usually was. _Ever since those two became an official couple, it's been harder to get along with Suki. Maybe this trip is exactly what we need._

Katara entered the building she usually relaxed in during her free period, walking down the barren hallway until she could turn right down an adjoining hall. She stopped in her tracks, staring warily at the current occupant of 'her table'.

Zuko. _Great, just what I needed,_ she thought sarcastically.

Truth be told, this wasn't the first time she had seen him today. She had heard him talking to another student in the hall earlier, and had turned her face toward him and saw that it was Jet he was talking to. When she had turned to go up the stairs this morning, Zuko just so happened to be at the top coming down. She saw him in the cafeteria line, entering a classroom, walking outside, talking to a girl with a ponytail and not once did they ever greet each other.

_Guess it can't be helped now, though_, Katara thought.

As if he knew she was there, Zuko looked up from a book he was reading and caught her gaze. For a moment, they just stared at one another but finally Katara coughed and looked away nervously, a blush filling her cheeks. She walked over to the table and threw her bag down on the floor as quietly as she could.

"Hey," Zuko said, closing his book over his thumb to mark his place.

"Hi," Katara mumbled, bending over her backpack and shuffling through the books inside until she found her Spanish homework.

Zuko studied her for a moment. He had seen her all day, but hadn't had the chance to talk to her until now. He had been hyperaware of her even before the dinner at her house, so it wasn't new to him that he saw her wherever he turned. He often looked forward to her free period, when they could talk freely without much distraction or interruption. He had to admit, though, that Katara hadn't ever looked as tired as she did at that moment.

When she finally found the page she was looking for in her textbook, Zuko leaned forward. "How was your day?"

Without looking up – _I don't think I can look at him without blushing,_ Katara had to admit to herself, although she was confused as to why that was so – Katara laughed bitterly. "You don't want to know."

Zuko propped his chin in his hand and watched her profile. "Yes," he said firmly, "I do. Tell me."

Katara sighed and looked up at him, defeated. _How can you do that?_ She wondered, _One minute you're trying to hurt Aang and the next you're this guy who is worried about me._ Tapping her mechanical pencil against her book restlessly, Katara admitted her day had sucked. "It was supposed to be such a good day, too!"

Zuko nodded, as if agreeing with her. "What was going on today?" he wondered.

"Last night I studied with Haru for two hours for this history exam I had today and I'm not even sure if I passed. If I did, it was just barely. I didn't feel confident at all! And Mr. Robinson, my math teacher, gave us this quiz that nobody in my class even knew about on a lesson we learned two days ago and _didn't understand_. How stupid is that?"

Zuko lifted his only eyebrow. "Pretty stupid?" he guessed nervously. He hadn't thought Katara would go off in a rant; he'd never seen her like this when she wasn't talking about _him_. It was kind of nice for a change. And kind of scary.

"_Idiotic_!" Katara said, exasperated, "And then Suki said that she won't be at school for a few days because she has to go visit her grandfather, and that means Sokka will go into his spiel on how overcome he is with 'Suki Withdrawal' and will be even more infuriating than he normally is! To top it off, I've got swimming tryouts after school and I forgot my swimsuit at home because I was already late enough as it was since my alarm clock didn't go off!" Katara took a deep breath, having said most of that in only one.

Zuko had leaned back in his chair, watching the blue-eyed girl in bewilderment. _Wow._ "Okay, so your day was shit," Zuko agreed with a nod.

Katara groaned and rested her forehead against her book. "No kidding."

"So," Zuko readjusted himself, "you're still being tutored by that hippie kid?" He had no idea why that bothered him so much. After all, he was pretty sure Katara didn't return the boy's feelings, let alone _know_ about them.

Katara nodded, propping her chin in her hand like Zuko had earlier. "Yeah. It's a lot of fun. His mom's really cool about it all, which is kind of nice."

"I bet," Zuko crossed his arms over his chest as he leaned back in his chair. He was suddenly reminded of what his uncle had mentioned when they had gotten back from the dinner at Katara's house. Something about Katara having a swimmer's body? "There's a swim team here?"

"Oh, no," Katara sighed, "It's not a school team. I just thought I should stay in shape so I can be ready for softball season." Katara thought she shouldn't mention the fact Aang was doing it with her. For some reason, she always felt hesitant about subjects that revolved around her friend.

Zuko nodded. "You know, I could go run you over to your house after school. To go get your swimsuit, I mean. And then I can drop you off at the pool. It'd be quicker." _Why am I even suggesting that? She won't say yes._

Katara thoughtfully nibbled on her bottom lip. Zuko's idea was better than just going to the pool without her stuff and then being sent away. If she had her swimsuit, at least she'd have a _chance_. And she _really_ wanted to join the swim team.

"Alright."

Zuko was surprised and set the two front legs of his chair on the ground before he could topple backwards. "Really?" he shook his head and said quickly, "I mean: cool. I'll wait for you on the steps outside." He stood and swung his backpack over his shoulder before disappearing around the corner.

Five minutes before the bell, Katara stood and hefted her backpack onto her shoulder with a note in her hand for Aang. It explained to just meet her at the pool. When she got to his locker, she slipped it in through the vents and then turned on her heels and walked outside as the bell rang.

Teenagers poured into the hallway from both sides, forcing Katara to dodge and duck under swinging arms and backpacks. She stumbled out the door and looked around for Zuko. She saw a few other kids milling about chatting loudly and there were a few cars in the circle waiting for their passengers. There was no Zuko.

_Did he lie?_ Katara tightened her grip on her backpack strap. _I shouldn't have believed him…_ Her thoughts were interrupted by the roar of an engine, loud but smooth and her gaze landed on a maroon-colored motorcycle. _…No way._

The cyclist pulled in front of all the cars and, resting one foot on the ground, pulled off his helmet and waved at Katara. Obediently, Katara went down the stone steps and walked up to Zuko, who pulled out a spare helmet.

"I've…I've never been on a motorcycle," she said.

"I know," Zuko replied and he handed her the helmet. "I'll be careful, I promise."

Katara took the helmet between her two hands. "Sokka would throw a hissy fit if he found out," she pointed out. _And probably come and personally castrate you in the middle of the night…_

"So? We won't let him find out." When Katara still seemed hesitant, Zuko frowned, "Come on, if we're going to get you to the pool then we need to go now. Get on." He patted the leather passenger seat behind him.

Katara glanced around nervously but sighed and pushed the helmet over her head before swinging a leg over the bike. Katara squeaked and placed her hands on top of his shoulders when he righted the motorcycle, standing on the tip of his toes. "Katara," he said as he put his helmet on, "hold on to me."

"What?"

Zuko released the break, and the motorcycle roared to life, jerking forward before speeding out of the circle. Katara cried out in surprise, and her arms wrapped around Zuko's neck, squeezing painfully. Zuko swerved slightly in shock before coming under control again, turning left and onto the main road.

Slowly, Katara's arms loosened. Zuko's hand reached up to remove one of her arms completely from around his neck, and guided it to his waist. Blushing under her helmet, Katara obliged his silent request and wrapped her arms around him loosely.

The feeling of being on a motorcycle was terrifying in a liberated kind of way. The wind rushed through her hair, despite the helmet that pushed it down, and her clothes flapped against the weight of her backpack. Even though it was cold, it felt nice. Zuko _was_ a good driver; he swerved in and out of lanes smoothly and respected others on the road.

Only once throughout the whole ride did they have to come to an instant stop that made the tires squeal in response, and Zuko's hand had reflexively covered hers, tightening over her fingers like he could protect her from an accident. Katara couldn't help but feel comforted.

As promised, Zuko dropped her off at her house and while she ran inside to change, he waited by his bike, his back to the house so he could smoke in peace. When she came out, he flicked the butt of the cigarette and crawled on to the bike, handing her the extra helmet.

"So, to the pool?" he asked as he felt her arms snake around his waist. Zuko smiled behind the mask of his helmet – maybe taking the bike to school had been a good idea after all. He enjoyed this rare contact between them.

"Yup."

And so they went, speeding down the highway without incident. When they got to the indoor pool, Zuko pulled up to the front of the building and pushed down the break. "Here we are," he said as he took of his helmet.

Katara clambered off the bike without much grace, but her smile was wide and grateful. "Thank you, Zuko. You saved me, I think."

Zuko's expression softened, and Katara gasped softly at the effect. "You're welcome," he said earnestly.

_How can he…do that?_

For a moment, they stood like that, staring into each other's eyes, searching for what? Neither had a clue. Finally, Katara shook her head with a nervous laugh and stepped away from the bike. "See you tomorrow, Zuko," she said, blushing slightly.

"Good luck," he said as he threw his helmet back on, his bike roaring back to life. Katara waited until he was gone before she raced into the indoor pool.

"Katara!" Aang greeted, dressed in his trunks. "Come on! The try outs are just about to start!"

Katara was pulling off her top, having her one-piece already underneath. "I'm coming!"

Katara followed Aang as he led her toward a door leading into an office. Aang opened the door and Katara followed him, and she noted an old looking man, who couldn't have been much older than Gran-Gran, sitting behind a desk writing things down on a sheet of paper.

"Hey, Coach Pakku!" Aang greeted.

Pakku froze, and sighed tirelessly. Without looking up, he said, "No, please, march right in, I'm not doing something important or anything."

Aang blinked. "Uh, right. Well, this is my friend Katara, the one I told you would be trying out with me today?"

Pakku nodded and looked up, and immediately his face fell. Katara couldn't help but think he looked at her in disgust – like she was a bug. Leaning back in his swivel chair and weaving his fingers together, Pakku lifted an eyebrow.

"I'm sorry. I think there's been a misunderstanding. You didn't tell me your friend was a _girl_. This is not a co-ed team, and it's against the rules for girls to be brought to practices, let alone swim in this pool." Katara blinked, unable to believe what she had just heard.

"In other words: No. Girls. Allowed."

* * *

**P.S:** Thanks to everyone who reviewed in the last chapter! I'm glad everyone seemed to like Zuko's and Katara's interactions. :) Everyone gets a cookie.


	37. Chapter 36

_One of These Days  
_By Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

* * *

**Chapter 36:**

Katara felt numb. She stepped outside and was battered by a chilly breeze that sent chills down her spine. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she was aware that she had left her T-shirt inside, but she didn't care. She could hear Aang arguing inside with Coach Pakku, but she couldn't hear his words.

She stared vacantly out at the parking lot in front of her. _How could this happen?_ She wondered to herself, _I know karma's a bitch…but what did I do?_

She could still hear the old man's irritatingly smug voice echoing in her head.

"_No. Girls. Allowed."_

Katara's hands clenched into fists at her sides and her eyes watered with unshed tears of frustration. _I did so much to get here!_ She thought desperately, _I went behind my brother's back, rode a motorcycle with a guy I hardly know – with a guy who's been trying to hurt my friend for _months_ – and this is what happens!_

She closed her eyes angrily, shaking, as she remembered what Coach Pakku had told her when she demanded to know what he had said to the other female swimmers who had come that day.

"_There's a class for synchronized swimmers taught by old woman Yugoda in a pool across town._ _I'm sure she would be happy to take you as her student despite your bad attitude," _he had answered flatly.

"_But I don't want to do that!" _Katara had argued, _"I want to race!"_

"_I understand that. But this pool has set rules that can't be changed."_

"_Well, your rules suck!"_ Katara had answered as she turned out of his office.

And that was how she ended up outside, her eyes closed tightly against the memory. She could still hear Aang arguing inside – his voice had gotten quieter like he had been thoroughly reprimanded but he still seemed to be rebellious of Pakku's law. Katara smiled bitterly.

She had gone through so much to get here only to be turned away by some sexist old man. It didn't seem fair at all. If only there was some way to prove to Pakku that girls were just as fast as boys. Something clicked in her brain and Katara felt a smile tugging at her lips.

Katara wasn't known for backing down without a fight. Turning on her heels, Katara stormed back into the pool. She noticed Aang slumped against the bleachers hopelessly but instead of going to her young friend she walked straight to the door leading to Pakku's office.

Without knocking, she opened it.

"Come to apologize?" the old man asked without looking up from the papers on his desk.

Katara's eyes narrowed in determination. "There's no way I'm apologizing to a sour old man like _you_."

Aang poked his head into the office behind Katara. "Uh, Katara?"

"I'll be outside if you're man enough to race me!" Katara announced and without waiting for an answer, she stepped back out to the pool area, closing the door behind her.

Aang was there waiting, his eyes wide. "Are you crazy, Katara? There's no way you can beat him; he's a silver-medal Olympic swimmer!"

"I know," Katara said as she began to peel off her pants, "but I don't care. Someone needs to slap some sense into that guy!" Katara stood at the lip of the pool, her eyes raking the length of it before turning their attention to the old man walking out of his office.

"So, you decided to show up?" When he walked passed her, Katara's hands clenched into fists. "Aren't you going to race me?"

Without turning his face toward her, Pakku said, "Go back to the kitchen with the other women where you belong."

Katara gasped and for a moment she couldn't say a word, being only able to sputter on her anger. _Why you sexist, cynical, arrogant…_ Tightening her jaw, Katara spun on her heels and dove into the pool.

The on-looking boys outwardly gasped and Aang covered his eyes with one hand.

Pakku stopped what he was doing and turned his face toward Katara, who was glaring at him from the water. "Fine. You want to race so badly?" In seemingly one fluid motion, Pakku's clothes were removed and he dove into the pool.

Katara somehow managed not to gag at the sight of the old man in a swimsuit.

Reaching out with one hand, Katara grabbed the lip of the pool and braced her feet against the wall, eyeing the old man who was smirking confidently. "Don't worry," he said, "I'll go easy on you."

"Don't bother," ground out Katara.

Ignoring her, Pakku continued, "Three laps. From where we start to the other end and back is one." Katara nodded and both swimmers prepared themselves.

"On the count of three," Aang said uncertainly. "One…" Katara tightened her grip on the ledge and brushed damp hair from her face, "Two…" Pakku's smirk widened into an infuriating grin, "Three!"

Katara pushed off from the ledge. She could feel the wake left behind by Pakku's own controlled propelling, and distantly she thought that this was a bad idea. And then she remembered what he had said to her, and she pushed the thought away. _This is the only way_, she thought as she tilted her head to the side and took a breath.

Her arms swung methodically from her sides and over her head in the freestyle, her feet kicking in rhythm behind her. From somewhere on the bank, she could hear the boys cheering. Was that Aang she heard? He was cheering louder than the rest, and the thought made her speed up.

When next she lifted her face, it was toward the other swimmer. At that exact moment, the old man lifted his face toward her and before she lowered her head back into the water, she realized that they were neck to neck. _Is he really going easy on me?_ Katara wondered to herself. _I should have put on my goggles_…

Katara blindly reached out with her hands, knowing she was close to the opposite wall but not knowing just how close. She felt the water churn near-by, and thought the old man was turning into the wall to kick off. On reflex, Katara flipped over and, twisting, reached to kick off as well, but her calculation was off.

She kicked open water.

Staggering beneath the water, Katara righted herself and her hand blindly fell against the wall. Cursing under her breath, she barely heard Aang call out, "You can do it Katara!" before she dove back under the water, propelling herself from the wall with more vigor.

She resurfaced and began pumping her legs once more, but Pakku was already ahead. She imagined that he still had that haughty smirk on his face. "_Go back to the kitchen where you belong,"_ he repeated in her head and Katara picked up her speed.

_I'll show him that girls are just as good as boys,_ she thought. _How dare he make assumptions? This is a new world; women have just as many rights as men!_

Katara tilted her head to the side to take a breath, and took the possibility of slowing herself down by looking ahead. Pakku was only two or three feet in front of her. She could still win this! She judged her distance from the wall more accurately this time, and when she twisted herself around she kicked off the wall with impressing strength.

_Lap two,_ she thought mentally, closing the distance between them.

"_No. Girls. Allowed."_

When Pakku lifted his head from the water for a breath, his gaze met Katara's evenly and his eyes widened in surprise, and for a moment he lost his constant pace.

"Katara's ahead?" Aang said, incredulous. Suddenly, a grin spread across his face and he exclaimed with more excitement, "Katara's ahead!"

Katara pulled the water toward her, and kicked it away. She lifted her head to breathe, and glanced back only to realize she was in the lead by an arm's length. She wasn't out of the dark yet!

_I'm still up against a past Olympic swimmer_, she had to remind herself as she ducked her head back into the water, _he probably has some tricks up his sleeve that I don't know about!_

When she lifted her head next, it was at the same time as the old coach and he spoke through his breath, "I'm impressed," he said, and suddenly he switched forms. He was doing the breaststroke now, and Katara felt annoyed.

_He never said we could choose another form! _Another part of her brain reminded her that he didn't say they had to do freestyle, either.

"You are an excellent swimmer," he continued through his next breath, and suddenly he was picking up speed.

The minute Katara hit the opposite wall; she flipped over herself and pushed off, switching into breaststroke, as well. "You still won't let me join the team though," she said through an interval of several breaths. It wasn't a question; it was a statement of fact.

And suddenly, Pakku was beside her. He pushed himself forward and took a breath, and for a moment, it seemed they were frozen in time. His focus on the other end of the pool, he said, "No." And then he was underwater again and time had resumed.

If Katara hadn't been in the middle of a race, she would have screamed in frustration. Instead, she only became more determined in her cause.

To everyone's surprise, the two swimmers continued to swim head-to-head. One moment, Katara would be ahead, and the next, Pakku. By the time Katara started lap three, she had a cramp in her side and was losing speed.

_I should have stretched beforehand_, she thought to herself. She was becoming desperate; she couldn't keep losing and gaining ground like this with him! She had to get ahead for good!

The second the two swimmers pushed off the far wall to begin the long stretch for the finish line, something happened. Katara didn't know what, but it did. She remembered glancing at Coach Pakku, who was in exact tempo as she. She ducked under the water, and pushed upward to take another desperate gasp of breath.

A smirk snaked its way across the old man's face, and Katara's eyes widened and she was under water again. But when she came back up, Pakku was ahead. She didn't know how, but his speed had picked up. At first, he was just a few feet. And then he was a few yards.

Katara was left trying to pull herself through his wake.

When she reached the wall at last, Pakku was pulling himself from the water. "This race is over," Pakku declared as he wrapped a proffered towel around his lower section.

Katara, bewildered, lifted herself upward with her hands braced against the damp concrete surrounding the pool. "Hey!" she nearly screamed, her voice cracked, "Come back here! We're not done!"

"Uh, Katara," Aang murmured sadly, "That was three laps…"

Ignoring Aang, Pakku turned his face toward Katara disdainfully. "Yes, we are." Suddenly, he stopped and glanced down at his feet. He bent down and picked up something blue, and his eyes grew in recognition. "This is…my necklace…"

Katara gasped and stumbled out of the pool clumsily. "No it's not, it's mine! Give it back!"

Pakku was silent a moment as his thumb absently ran across the cool, smooth stone. "I made this sixty years ago," he said softly, "for the love of my life. For Kanna."

* * *

Katara sat outside Pakku's office, her hair still dripping with water. She glanced at Aang, who gave her an encouraging smile. "It'll work out," he told her.

Katara had her necklace back, safe and sound on her neck once more. After Pakku's announcement, Katara explained her relations to her Gran and, with some urging from the old man, she called her grandmother up and asked her to come pick her up.

Gran-Gran was currently in Pakku's office, apparently catching up on old times.

"I can't believe Gran-Gran – _my_ Gran – was supposed to marry that man," she said for the hundredth time, and Aang's smile faltered slightly. Katara rested her chin on her knees. "I can't believe she never told me…"

Wanting to change the subject, Aang asked, "How'd you get here, Katara? Sokka dropped me off, so I know he couldn't have taken you."

Katara stilled and she glanced out of the corner of her eye at Aang, who was staring into the palm of his hands. After a second, she closed her eyes and sighed.

She could still feel that rush of wind through her hair, the sense of freedom, the strange fluttering in her stomach when she had wrapped her arms around Zuko's waist. She couldn't tell Aang the truth because who knew how he'd react? Biting her lip thoughtfully, Katara considered changing the subject once more. But that would only make her young friend more interested, so she pushed the thought away and said, "I got a ride from a friend."

Aang turned his curious gaze on Katara. "Which friend?" he wondered, "Suki?"

Katara remembered the way she had reacted to Suki's earlier news about leaving to stay with her grandfather and realized that Aang couldn't possibly know about the small fight that had started because of that. "Yeah," she lied. "Suki brought me here."

Aang nodded. "So that's why Sokka couldn't find her after school; she had already left with you."

Katara merely nodded, suppressing a sigh of relief. At that moment, the door to Pakku's office opened and Kanna stepped out, her old eyes crinkled in a frown. Katara noticed that Pakku's back was facing the door, sitting in his old swivel chair.

"Come along, you two," Kanna said as she passed and Katara and Aang dutifully stood to follow.

"Gran-Gran, what happened?" Aang asked as he picked up his speed to match that of the elder woman's.

Katara stayed silent, brooding. No doubt Pakku had told Kanna of Katara's disrespect. Katara had a feeling she'd be punished when she got home, and she groaned inwardly. _He's probably still against me joining the team, too,_ Katara thought to herself, thoroughly exhausted.

Katara climbed into the front seat, and for a moment, they drove in silence. At a stop light, Aang repeated his question with more hesitance and Gran-Gran glanced back at the young man. "We talked about old times," she replied, "and he talked about you, Katara." Her gaze returned to the road.

Katara prepared herself for her grandmother's lecture but it never came.

"I'm proud of you, Katara," Gran-Gran finally said. "You were stupid to challenge an Olympic silver medalist," she said in that blunt way of hers, "but I'm proud of you."

"What? Why?" Katara asked, confused, "I was completely disrespectful!"

"Yes, well. Pakku has a hard head; sometimes, you have to take desperate measures for him to understand your point." Katara had a feeling Kanna wasn't talking about the race, and she fell silent.

After a moment, Aang spoke up. "So…I guess Katara still isn't allowed to join the team?"

At this, Kanna's frown twitched upward. "No, not at all." Katara's eyes grew and she adjusted herself in her seat so she was facing her grandmother.

"What?"

"You _both_ start next week," Kanna said easily.

Katara closed her eyes tightly and then she fell back into her seat with a happy grin.

* * *

Katara glanced up from her homework. "What?"

"You heard me;" Sokka said angrily, "Suki was in the worst mood ever!"

"When'd you talk to Suki?" Katara asked nervously, aware that her earlier excuse to Aang could be in danger of being revealed as what it was: a lie.

"I went to her house after I dropped Aang off at the pool," Sokka explained as he seated himself on the edge of her desk. "She was near tears. What the hell did you do to her?"

"_Me_?" Katara exclaimed. "I didn't do anything!"

"She hasn't done anything either, Katara!"

"Except abandon her best friend!" Katara bit out, and realized too late what she had said. She covered her mouth shamefully. _I can't believe I just accused her of that…_

Sokka's dark blue eyes narrowed furiously. "I can't believe you're accusing her of that. How _selfish_ can you get?" Katara peeled her hand away from her mouth to say something more but before she could, Sokka continued, "Besides, she's not leaving forever… She's just going until her dad can go instead!"

"This doesn't bother you at all?" Katara finally asked, turning away from her work to face her brother. "You realize that they're enrolling her in a different school, right? She's going to a different school – a _private_ school. You aren't worried?"

"Why would I be worried?" he asked, but Katara could tell that he knew exactly where she was going with this.

"Private school kids are smarter than us, Sokka. They've got good education, and classes are smaller than ours. There are fewer options, but more chances." Katara hated herself for what she was about to say. "She'll find someone else…"

Sokka blinked and then, before she could even finish the sentence, he slammed his fist against her desk causing her to jump. "Shut up, Katara!" he snarled, "How can you be that way? Are you really that single-minded?" He looked away, taking a deep, calming breath. "Besides, if that's what she wants – to find someone new – then I won't stop her."

Katara looked down at her hands guiltily. _I'm sorry, Sokka._

"Now, listen," Sokka said, his voice strained, "you're going to apologize to Suki tomorrow."

"…Yes."

"Good," Sokka muttered as he stood. He rubbed the back of his neck with one hand as he started for the door.

"Sokka," Katara only managed to whisper.

"Yeah?" he paused with his hand resting on the handle, but he didn't turn back toward her.

"What if she likes it there and doesn't want to leave?"

Sokka didn't know what was more tempting: going back to his sister and hugging her, or shaking her until she realized Suki wouldn't do that to them. Instead, he opened the door and said, "Then we'll prove to her how much we love her; we'll let her go."

As the door shut behind him, Katara buried her face in her hands and shook with a sudden, unexpected and definitely un_wanted_, sob.

* * *

The next day Katara apologized profusely to her best friend. Everything ended up fine between them, and they promised each other that the next few days would be spent making up for the fight.

Katara decided not to tell Suki about Zuko. _Not that there's anything to tell_, Katara thought to herself as she walked with Suki to chemistry. _It's not like it's a '_kiss-and-tell_' situation or anything. _

She wasn't surprised when she saw Zuko waiting for her at the usual table during free period. She sat down across from him and pulled out that night's homework. For a moment, they sat silently; Zuko reading his book and Katara scribbling answers to her Spanish homework.

Finally, Zuko looked up, marking his page with his thumb. "So, how were try-outs?"

Katara looked up and, because she was in a good mood, didn't mind the grin that spread across her lips. "It's a long story."

Zuko packed away his book, his attention caught by her beautiful smile and the tone of her voice. "I've got the time."

So, Katara explained to him how Pakku wouldn't let her join the team at first, and then how she had challenged him to a race. At that, Zuko snorted and covered his face with one hand in a similar way Aang had done at the pool.

"I wouldn't put it passed you," he admitted and he shook his head.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Katara asked, her eyebrow raising.

"Just that you're pretty stubborn when you've got your mind set on something." Zuko shrugged.

"I am _not_ stubborn," she replied resentfully, frowning.

"You aren't?" But Zuko left it at that, motioning for her to continue.

Once she ended her tale, Zuko frowned. "Wait, the coach is in love with your grandmother?"

"Yeah, it was weird…" Katara lifted a hand and touched her mother's – or was it her grandmother's, then? – pendant thoughtfully.

"How does that work? You said that they were supposed to get married. Do you know what happened?"

Katara shrugged. "Gran must've gotten tired of his pompous, sexist attitude."

Zuko nodded, and for a moment they lapsed into silence, considering one another from hooded eyes. Finally, Zuko looked back up from his book. "And you never told Sokka?"

"About the motorcycle ride?" Katara laughed, "Of course not. We'll just keep that a secret."

A small smile that looked unpracticed and Katara realized that _this_ was his true smile, and for some reason her stomach fluttered nervously. But as soon as it was there, it was gone.

"Are you okay?" Zuko wondered and Katara looked at him in confusion. Zuko motioned at her face, "You're really red."

Katara lifted a hand distantly to her cheek and felt the warmth of her blush beneath her fingertips. She only blushed harder. "Yeah, I'm fine."

They both knew, however, that that was far from the truth.

* * *

_A Week Later…_

Katara hugged Suki tightly, unwilling to let go. "Please, don't forget to write me," she begged, "e-mail would be better because it's quicker, but, you know, whatever."

Suki, equally reluctant, closed her eyes tightly. "Only as long as you write _me_," she told her friend.

Katara finally pulled away from Suki and held her at arms length. "Thanks for coming by to say '_adios_'," she said softly. "I was scared you wouldn't."

"I would never leave without saying good-bye," Suki replied. "I'm going to miss you so much. It'll be so different without you."

Sokka cleared his throat from where he still stood on the porch, and Suki and Katara turned to look at him as he stepped down. "Why are you making it sound like a permanent thing? You'll be back in just a few days, right?"

Suki bit her lip and Katara hugged her friend quickly one last time before disappearing up the porch steps and into the house, leaving the couple alone outside.

Suki watched Katara for a moment before turning her calm gaze on Sokka. "More like a few weeks."

"A few…weeks?" Sokka echoed, unsure he heard her right. "I thought you were going for a few days…"

"My dad couldn't find an opening," Suki said with a guilty shrug. "So we'll be staying a bit longer than we thought. But I'll be home soon – it'll go by super fast, I promise!"

Sokka hesitated a moment before reaching out with one hand and grabbing her arms. For a moment, it seemed to Suki that he was struggling with something, and then he closed his eyes and pulled her roughly toward him, wrapping his arms around her.

Crushed with her hands on his chest, Suki blushed; her sisters were in the car waiting, after all. "Sokka…" she started.

Sokka cut her off. "I know I said that if you – if you change your mind and you prefer one of them over there that I'd be okay with it because you'd be happy," he said, his voice hoarse, "but I was lying through my teeth."

"What?" Suki was completely lost. _What's he talking about?_

"If you change your mind, I'm coming after you and forcibly dragging you back here. I'll beat him to a pulp if I have to!"

Aghast, Suki pushed away from him just enough to see up into his face. "Sokka, are you talking about my _grandfather_? You can't beat him up! That's terrible…why would you even say –!"

Sokka crushed her lips beneath his, unable to let her go on like that. She didn't understand, but she didn't have to. What he said was the truth; he'd come after her if he had a rival. He wouldn't let her slip away so easily when he finally – _finally_ – had her.

When he pulled away, he set his forehead against hers and sighed. Suki closed her eyes, uncaring of what her sisters would say to her when she finally got into the car. "Don't forget to write me, too," he told her as he stepped away.

Suki, breathless, nodded. "I won't. I wouldn't ever." She stepped away from him just as her sisters honked impatiently. "Bye…" And with that, she turned on her heels and raced to the car.

Sokka waited outside until her car disappeared around a corner and then he went inside. Katara was waiting in the kitchen, helping Gran-Gran finish with dinner.

Katara turned away from the stove when she heard her older brother enter the room, and, knowing her brother was in more pain than she, wrapped her arms around his middle. Sokka stood there for a moment, before returning the embrace.

"She'll be back before we know it," Katara managed to murmur.

Sokka closed his eyes. "Yeah," he replied. _I wouldn't be so sure…_

* * *

"Suki's gone," Katara grumbled as she fell into her usual chair.

She wasn't sure when it had gotten easier to talk to Zuko, or when she stopped thinking of him as just an enemy. It wasn't that she didn't see him in that light anymore, but it was something different. _He_ was different.

_He hasn't tried anything lately,_ she thought to herself.

Zuko glanced up from his book, his only eyebrow raised curiously. "She'll be back soon, right?"

"That's what I keep telling myself," Katara replied as she pulled out a book. Zuko considered her for a moment before deciding that the usual eagerness Katara hid away from him during her free period was gone completely.

Instead of saying anything, they fell into somewhat of a comfortable silence.

Zuko adjusted himself in his seat and felt a yawn crawl down from his ears and into his jaw temptingly, but he grudgingly fought the urge to release it. Ever since the motorcycle ride, his dreams about the young blue-eyed girl in front of him had become more prominent in detail. Iroh had told him just that morning that Zuko had been talking in his sleep the night before but, with an angelic smile, had admitted to not hearing a word of what was said. Zuko was grateful for that; who knew what he said out loud when he had those dreams?

Warily, Zuko glanced up from his book and studied Katara. What would she do if she knew about his dreams? A part of him really wanted to know, and the other part just wanted to push her away. He had a mission, after all, and his interest in the girl was only getting in his way. Zuko wondered how long it would take for his father to send someone after him. With Zhao as headmaster of this school, it wouldn't take very much for information to leak out to the ears of the head of the Makoto family about how the last of the Masuyo monks was a high school student.

Zuko lowered his head and unconsciously lifted a hand to his scar and rubbed it idly.

"Does it hurt?"

Zuko looked back up in surprise; he hadn't realized Katara had been watching him.

"The scar," Katara clarified, "does it hurt?"

Zuko's eyes hardened at the mention of his blemish, and his gaze returned to his book. "No."

Katara winced at his tone before going back to her work. "Oh, okay."

The silence this time was stiff and uncomfortable. Sighing, Zuko closed his book. "Do you have swimming today?"

Katara looked up but this time her stare wasn't open to him, and she returned his look with a cold one. "Yes." Her focus returned to the work in front of her, the grip on her pencil turning her knuckles white.

"Oh." After a pause, Zuko cleared his throat but Katara hardly gave him a second glance. "Is Sokka taking you?"

"No."

"Oh…" he thought for a minute and then said, "Do you need –?"

"No. Gran-Gran is picking Aang and me up."

Zuko's eyes narrowed. "What's the matter with you?"

"Nothing," Katara stood. "You just reminded me of something."

Zuko stood, as well, and leaned forward across the table. "And what's that?" He didn't appreciate her scornful tone, and in response his tone had taken it up as well.

Katara looked at him, and for a moment he thought he saw sadness there he hadn't seen before. But it was gone before he had a chance to delve into it further, and Zuko had the feeling he knew what it was, anyways.

"I shouldn't be here." She began packing her things. "Or you shouldn't. But, either way…" she zipped up her backpack, "…I'm leaving."

Zuko frowned. "Why?"

"Because. Because…Just because."

Zuko reached across the table and grabbed her arm, and her eyes grew wide at the contact. It was firm but gentle, and Katara was surprised. _This is…different…_

"Let go of me," she demanded and was surprised by how nervous she sounded. When Zuko didn't, her eyes narrowed in giddy suspicion, the butterflies in her tummy fluttering tightly around. "Now, Zuko."

As if realizing what he was doing, Zuko released her immediately. Katara held her arm close to her and for a moment, the two teenagers regarded each other.

Finally, Katara smiled and Zuko's heart skipped a beat. "I don't know how you do it," she told him, and she swung her back pack over her shoulder. "You're a very confusing person, Zuko Makoto."

"You are, too," he told her, confused by her reaction.

She faced him. "Thank you." She gave him a hesitant smile before turning on her heel and walking away, just as the bell sounded throughout the school.

Zuko watched her until he couldn't tell her chocolate brown hair apart from the rest of the crowd. Then he picked up his book bag, and disappeared into a nearby hall.


	38. Chapter 37

_One of These Days  
_By Unwritten Bliss

**Disclaimer**: I don't own Avatar: The Last Airbender.

**Notes:** It's been so long. A lot happened over the summer, real life stuff that demanded my attention, so I couldn't write. For example, my sister getting married and me being one of the maids of honor (I had a lot of things I needed to do for just that!). I've been waiting for an opening so I could write. It's "fall break" right now, so I had a little more time and motivation. I wonder how many devoted readers I still have for this. I'm so embarrassed by my long hiatuses. I'm sorry it's taken me this long. So so so sorry!! –U.B.

* * *

**Chapter 37:**

Zuko frowned as the tardy bell rang. _She's late,_ he thought to himself. _This is the third day in a row she hasn't come on time._ His gaze turned to the large clock on the wall across the hall, and his frown deepened. Was she avoiding him? It was possible. It bugged him, though; why was she so confusing? They had been getting along great for the past week and a half!

He had been more than willing to listen to her complaints over classes and her long-distance relationship with her friend, despite her wary behavior when consulting with him.

And she, in turn, had _seemed_ willing to talk to him. Maybe he had misjudged her? That made absolutely no sense, though, considering half the time _she_ was the one starting the conversations! Zuko wanted to beat his head against a nice brick wall, but instead he set his chin in the palm of his hand and let out a sigh that sounded more like an irritated grunt.

He was aware Katara had much on her plate as of late, of course. Swim team, being one of them. From what she had been mentioning off-handedly, her grandmother – Gran-Gran, as Katara so affectionately called her – had been weaker recently, keeping Katara and Sokka nervous and worried. Zuko could imagine Katara fretting like a mother hen over her boisterous grandmother, just as she did with Sokka and Aang.

He worried that Katara wasn't getting enough sleep. When he did see her, which was rare lately, she had heavy bags under her eyes and she dozed off during her free period.

One day he had broached the subject, in a joking manner so that she wouldn't think he was actually anxious for her. _"Hey, Sleeping Beauty, you're drooling on the table!"_ he had exclaimed, _"Prick your finger lately?"_

Katara had smiled sheepishly as she had attempted to push herself off the table, resting her face in her hands sleepily. She had been too tired to play along. _"I've just been looking after Gran-Gran a lot. Sokka doesn't enjoy staying up too late on school nights, so I've been doing the rounds."_

That had Zuko scowling, just thinking about it. He knew for a fact that Sokka did _not_ go to sleep early on school nights. The little prick enjoyed texting him randomly throughout the night to annoy him! Sokka was just lazy. As always. The fool.

Sighing again, he lifted his gaze and spotted Katara turn down the hall, book bag swung over her shoulder. Straightening in his chair, he returned Katara's exhausted wave.

"Hi," she said as she dropped the bag beside her usual chair.

"Hm," he replied, studying her. She sat down heavily, leaning back into the chair with her eyes closed. "You look bad," he commented.

Katara's eyes snapped open and she gave him a hard, calculating stare, as if she was trying to decide if he was baiting her or not. "How sweet," she murmured, and left it at that. She was just too _tired_ to bother with his fishing. She closed her eyes sleepily as a yawn parted her lips.

"I hope you weren't asleep standing up just now," he said, asking where she had been up until that moment in a round-about way that Katara recognized by now.

"I was e-mailing Suki in the library," she replied, her voice a low grumble. "She doesn't think she'll be back for another few weeks."

Zuko leaned back casually into his chair, pushing it back onto two legs, one hand coming up reflexively under the table to keep him balanced. "Her grandfather isn't any better, then?"

"No, he's getting better. Just slowly." Katara couldn't help but yawn, and Zuko's eyes narrowed.

"You're going to cause a chain reaction if you keep doing that," he remarked.

"Oh, shut it, Zuko," she grunted as she pushed herself upright. "I'm fine."

He frowned at her; she was _that_ relaxed with him, then? Relaxed to the point of telling him to shut up, apparently. Somehow, that didn't bother him. Actually, he rather _liked _the fact that she was placating his worries and telling him things she would have told others like Haru any other time. The fact that she _wanted_ to talk to him made him happier than it should.

"Alright," he said, lifting his free hand as if to ward off any more of her menace. "How's swimming going?"

"Terrible," she admitted. "I fell asleep on the bleachers yesterday and woke up with a mustache drawn on my face with a blue marker."

Zuko couldn't help the snort of laughter that escaped him and he tried to cover it up by coughing as he dropped his chair back onto all fours.

"It's not funny," she grouched.

"No, you're right," he amended, "I would have drawn a uni-brow, too, and written something on your forehead. _That_ would have made it hilarious."

Katara looked at him oddly, and he wondered if he had gone too far. Was he being to free with her? Was he allowed to do that? But his surprisingly momentary doubts vanished as one of her bright, albeit drowsy, smiles flitted across her face.

"You _would_ do that," she laughed. And, in fact, she didn't think he would but just picturing Zuko doing it made her snicker.

Their conversation lapsed into silence, as it was wont to do. Katara's eyes had drooped close, her chin in her hand, her elbow propped on the wood table. In a few minutes, she was asleep. And as the bell rang, she still refused to stir. Sighing, Zuko stood and, leaning across the table, shook her until she opened her eyes, and they were glassy with leftover, and much needed, sleep.

"The bell rang," he told her as he passed, and hoped that she would wake up enough to get to her next class.

* * *

Katara felt something shaking her, someone was calling her name, and for an instant _his_ face flashed in her head. Why would she picture _him_ of all people? But his lips moved to the sound of her name, that know-it-all smirk and the crinkle of his eyes. She murmured the name under her breath, and the sound of her name ceased to b called. Whatever was shaking her stopped. For a moment, she was not budged.

But then the shaking came back, this time harder, with a vengeance. "-tara! _Katara_!"

Katara shot up from where she lay sprawled out on the bleachers with an almost comedic speed. "I'm up, I'm up!" Aang was looking at her, an odd expression on his face. "What?"

Aang looked away quietly. "Nothing," he murmured. Katara frowned but then she noticed how everyone was filing out of the pool area. As she gathered her things, Aang started talking again. "It's nice of Coach Pakku to let you sleep the last thirty minutes of practice," he commented.

"He's just as worried about Gran-Gran as we are," Katara agreed, "He thinks I need my rest so I can nurse her back to health." Katara laughed tiredly.

Suddenly, Aang turned his gaze on Katara. "Zuko hasn't tried anything lately."

Katara paused in what she was doing, holding her towel against her chest tightly, but then she smiled and went back to work. "Yeah. It's nice, isn't it? We can almost relax." She laughed again, and it sounded strained to Aang's ears.

Frowning, Aang opened his mouth to continue but something slammed, echoing off the walls, startling both teenagers. Katara and Aang faced the doors leading outside and Katara sucked in a breath of fear.

Sokka stood there, his arms parting the double doors with desperate eyes.

_Oh no_, she thought.

"Gran-Gran's in the hospital!"

* * *

Katara stood outside the waiting room, sitting in one of the disgustingly pale blue chairs. Never in her life had she hated blue before, but for some reason, she hated the color when it was related to hospitals. She hadn't been here in years. But she could remember it clearly, the night it had all happened.

The night that had taken her mother away.

Sokka paced back and forth in front of her and Aang, who was sitting beside her with one arm draped across her shoulders, tried to talk Sokka into sitting down, too. "You're not helping anyone by doing that, Sokka," Aang pointed out, "Doctors and nurses need to get by and you're only blocking their way."

Sokka shot a rebellious glare in Aang's direction, silencing the young monk. Katara, in return, grabbed Sokka's arm in one of his passes and yanked him forcefully down into the chair on her other side. "Stop it! It's annoying!" her voice was high-pitched and choked, even to her ears. She looked away.

Sokka studied his sister for a minute before nodding. "Sorry," he said, "I'm sorry." Truth was, he didn't like being back in this waiting room any more than Katara did. It brought back memories he would much rather have had gone for good.

Katara didn't reply. She stared ahead, to the seat across from her. She remembered that seat. She had _sat_ in that seat; it felt like yesterday but it was years ago. She had been crying then, gripping Sokka's arm like it was the only thing holding her together. She had been so young, and it had been such a scarring event. She could remember the smell of smoke as it suffocated her, and the terrifying scream that pierced her heart; her mother's scream, something that continued to haunt her to this day.

_Mom…_

She hadn't realized that Sokka had gotten back up and that he was talking to a man in a white jacket. _The doctor._ He was explaining something to Sokka, and Sokka seemed to sag with relief. Katara wasn't listening – or maybe she was and she just couldn't _hear_ – but it seemed like her Gran-Gran was alright.

The doctor left, and Aang leaned forward in his seat. Sokka turned on his heel, fell back into his chair, and slumped back into it. "Well?" Aang prodded, "How is she?"

"It was just a scare," he explained, "She just fainted, that's all. Bruised her hip real bad, though. They want to keep her over night and do some extra tests, just in case."

Aang nodded, "That's good. It wasn't anything serious."

Katara looked away from her brother. _Thank goodness,_ she thought, but the thankfulness was short lived. The chair was still there, mocking her with terrible memories she didn't want to remember. She could have stopped them, but the energy was drained out of her.

Sokka stood. "Come on, I'll take you all home," he said.

That caught Katara's attention and she looked at Sokka curiously. It sounded like he wasn't going to be staying around. "What about you?"

"The doctor said it would be alright if I were to stay in the waiting room over night," he explained. "So I'll be taking you two home and coming back. I'll bring Gran some of her things, too."

Katara frowned but before she could get a complaint in, Sokka raised his hand. "I've been keeping you up for the past week, Katara. This is the least I could do." He helped her up and patted her arm affectionately, "Besides, you look like crap."

_Ah, that's twice in one day,_ she thought, remembering Zuko's teasing comment earlier in the day. And then her eyes widened a fraction. _Wow, was that really today? It feels like ages ago._

Night had already fallen by then, and as Katara checked her watch, she let out an exhausted grunt. It was past eleven, and by the time they got home, it would be close to midnight. "Will you be alright, driving back here by yourself?" she asked as Sokka started the car.

"Yeah," he said.

The car fell silent and Katara stared out the window at the blurring lights. But her mind was elsewhere, in the past.

_It had been a normal day, a beautiful night. Clear with a full moon – Katara's mother had always loved the full moon, had always enjoyed going and dancing under its beams of light and dragging Katara with her. But that night, Katara's mother had fallen ill._

Katara felt her throat close up like she needed to cry, but nothing. She let out a shaky breath.

* * *

"Call us tomorrow morning," she said and Sokka nodded. She slammed the door and stepped away from the curb as her brother drove off. He had only stayed for a few minutes, to collect the few items for Gran and a pillow.

Katara turned to Aang – he looked like he was about to pass out right then and there. She gave him a tired smile and took his hand in hers. "Come on, let's get some sleep." She led him inside and locked the door behind her, releasing his hand.

When she didn't follow him upstairs, he turned in confusion. "Katara? Aren't you going to bed?"

Katara sighed heavily. "I'm just going to stay up awhile longer," she said. Aang looked at her anxiously before turning and going to his room.

_Her father had thought it a good idea to get the kids out of the house. Sokka was getting impatient with Katara because she wouldn't stop whining. It had been making the boy anxious, and his anxiety had only made Katara unhappier. He had made sure his wife was comfortable before they left._

She waited until she was sure Aang was asleep before she picked up the phone. She was aware of the time – two in the morning – but she needed to get away from this house, these memories. She wanted happier memories. Her own exhaustion forgotten, she searched out the school directory and found the number she was looking for.

"Hello?" the voice on the other line was drowsy, and there was obvious irritation. Katara felt bad for calling for only a second, and then the feeling was gone. "Hello?" this time it came out angrily.

She let out a sigh. "I didn't know who else to call."

"Katara?" Zuko's tone changed almost immediately from the anger to surprise, but it was still lethargic. From where he was, Zuko glanced over to the clock on his bedside table and moaned mentally. He rubbed his forehead. "What's wrong? Are you okay?

"I'm fine…" even to Katara it sounded fake.

"Katara," it was drawn out, probing and anxious.

"Gran's in the hospital," she explained and added, "Sokka dropped me and Aang off before going back to stay there. But…I can't stay here. I need to get out of here!" She hated the pleading sound in her voice.

Zuko threw back his covers. "I'm on my way."

* * *

Zuko killed the engine of the bike and, putting one leg down on the pavement for balance, searched for Katara's familiar form, despite the darkness outside. He didn't have to look long; Katara was sitting on the porch swing, rocking back and forth. She hadn't seen him yet, even though he was right in front of her, basked in the light of a street lamp.

Zuko kicked the peg to hold his bike upright and followed the path up to the porch. He was walking up the steps when Katara finally stirred. Without looking at him, she said, "I'm sorry I woke you up like this."

_I'm more worried about _you_ right now._ "Don't apologize," he murmured in a low voice, coming to sit hesitantly beside her.

For a long moment, they sat in companionable silence. Zuko wondered if Katara just wanted to sit and talk, or if she actually planned for him to take her somewhere. He didn't have much money. He couldn't take her too far – he was pretty sure that if Sokka came back and saw his sister gone, he'd freak out. _And I'm pretty sure if he knew _I _was the one who had taken her out so late at night, he'd kill me with a spoon._

"You want…to talk about it?" he asked cautiously.

Suddenly Katara was up, forcing a smile on her face. She reached down, grabbed his hands, and pulled him up. "I want to take you somewhere," she said.

Zuko was startled. "I don't have much money on me," he admitted.

Her smile suddenly turned cunning. She led him back to his motorcycle and he handed her a helmet. She pulled it over her head before climbing on after him. "You won't need money," she said simply, before he started the engine. "I'll give you directions, you just follow them."

Zuko rolled his eyes as he pulled his own helmet on. After pulling down the glass mask, he grabbed her hands from where they rest behind him and wrapped them gingerly around his middle. "Hold on tight," he instructed.

* * *

"Katara?" Zuko moaned as he cut off the engine, "Where in the hell are we?"

Katara, who was already off the bike, breathed in deeply. The smell of moss and wood rot and damp and the outdoors filled her, the night air calmed her, and she let out the breath slowly. "We're not there yet," she replied instead of answering. She looked back at Zuko as he propped his bike against a tree. "I hope you brought your good hiking shoes."

Zuko looked down at his sandals and inwardly groaned. "You're kidding me."

Katara looked at him curiously. "Of course not. Come on." She had already started up the steep hill. Zuko could only see trees and weeds and tall grass but it seemed like Katara saw a clear trail, walking with a confidence that Zuko didn't have. But he followed anyways; he couldn't leave her alone, didn't want to.

Katara paused a little ways up, her hand resting on a boulder. Her smile was wide – _She's _enjoying_ the hike from hell?!_ – and she was hardly out of breath yet.

"How are you doing back there?" she asked, dragging out the words to make it seem like she was calling out to him from a distance.

Zuko rolled his eye at her teasing. "Just stay put and you'll find out!"

Katara laughed lightly. And of course she kept going the moment he managed to come a few feet of her, but she was slower now. Katara was quiet the rest of the way up, and Zuko managed to keep a constant distance between the two, although by the time they reached the top he was sweating up a storm.

Katara wasn't, but she was panting, out of breath.

She walked to the edge of the hill, raised her arms up to either side of her, and basked in the cool breeze that washed over her. "Here we are," she said, "Paradise."

Zuko put his hands on his knees – he had never been the "athletic" type – and looked around. Paradise? The only thing he saw were two trees, bare of any leaves, and a log that had been made into a bench. Remains of someone's fire pit and trash littered the dead grass. The only thing that seemed paradise-y was the old – very old – wooden swing that dangled from one of the branches of a tree.

Katara turned to face him and knew immediately what he was thinking. Walking back toward him, she said, "It's changed since I've last been here."

"How long has that been?" he asked as she took his hand in hers – a thrill ran up his wrist, his arm, down his spine and back again – and led him toward the edge of the hill.

"Years," she admitted. "But one thing hasn't changed." She lifted her free hand out toward the view – the stars that were clear and perfect and the moon that seemed close enough to touch, and the pale lights of the city in the distance. "This. This definitely has _not_ changed."

Zuko released a breath he hadn't known he was holding. "How did you know this was here?" he asked.

Katara's awed smile turned sad. "My father used to take me and Sokka up here when we were kids," she answered, and with a short laugh, "it infuriated my mother to no end."

"Really?" Zuko glanced her way, "Why would it do that?" Anything to keep her talking, keep her mind off of her grandmother.

"This was where my father took my mom on their first date. See? Look!" Still holding his hand, she led him over to the tree with the old swing and ran the fingers of her free hand over the old bark, roaming over it until a slow smile spread across her lips. "Right here," taking Zuko's free hand in her own, she placed it over a certain area.

Zuko's fingers spread out over the bark and his eyes widened. He couldn't see it clearly, but it was there; someone had carved initials into the tree, claiming the memories of this hillside forever. Her previously free hand fell away from his.

"After a few years of dating, my dad asked her to marry him. She declined, but Dad wasn't one to give up. He brought her back here eventually and told her that she was his match, and that he had known from the moment he had met her that she was his match. After that, she had no choice but to say 'yes'." Katara smiled warmly up at Zuko.

"So, they signed their name on the trunk after that?" he guessed.

"Yup. Dad took us up here all the time, whenever he was able. Mom never came with us though, I think it embarrassed her." It was then that she realized she was still holding Zuko's hand and she released it quickly, blushing furiously.

She stepped away from the trunk, sitting in the swing and rocking back and forth only slightly. "We were here, when it happened, you know," she said. "When Mom died. She had been sick for days with pneumonia and Dad thought me and Sokka needed some fresh air."

Zuko came up behind her. "You don't have to talk about it," he told her as his hand wrapped around the ropes and he pushed her gently forward, swinging her.

"I know that," she said, "but, still, somehow I feel like I should tell you. Like I _want_ to talk about it."

If that was the case, Zuko had no right to stop her, so she continued. "Dad had been boiling water before we left. It had been a spur of the moment thing to take us here, and he didn't usually just leave the house without turning everything off.

"He had checked on mom, and I stole a glance at her. I had never seen her so pale, so tired looking, so extremely _weak_. The doctor said she was getting better, Dad said she was getting better, but to me it looked like she was already gone. I got upset, and my Dad, who didn't know I had been in the room, took me out immediately. They hadn't wanted me to see Mom that way."

Katara sucked in a breath of air and rested her cheek against one of Zuko's hands. She didn't realize she was crying until Zuko's thumb swiped against her cheek, catching the tears there.

"In a rush, Dad took the water off the stove but I was screaming and crying and Mom needed her rest and Sokka wasn't helping him. Dad dropped the rag on the counter and took us here, to our secret place. We heard sirens and Dad had this feeling that something was wrong. He said he felt that a part of him was screaming in pain. We had jumped in the car and…"

Katara choked back a sob, hearing her mother's scream of terror and pain echo inside her head just as it had pierced the night so long ago. Zuko stopped swinging her, and instead came around in front of her. Katara didn't want him to see her crying! Not _Zuko_! She looked away, but Zuko placed his hands on either side of her face, turned her eyes back to his, and caught each tear that fell from her eyes.

Despite this, Katara took a shaky breath. "Well, you know the rest from there. Gran-Gran moved in with me and Sokka and Dad went off to war a few years later. For a while after Dad left, Sokka took me here and we played and imagined both our parents were with us; a loving family." Katara shrugged. "After a year or two, Sokka stopped coming with me entirely."

Zuko realized that this hill was an important thing to Katara – an important thing _she_ was sharing with _him_. Extreme pleasure rose in his chest, and he idly wondered if she had ever brought Suki here.

They were silent a moment, Zuko's hands resting on Katara's face, tears falling from her eyes silently. _Don't cry,_ he thought desperately. His thumbs couldn't catch all the tears! He slowly leaned forward – so hesitantly – and placed his lips against her cheek.

One tear.

When he pulled away, her eyes were wide with shock but she didn't push him away when he leaned forward once more, this time to the other cheek.

Two, three tears.

Katara closed her eyes, willing her tears to stop as the blush crept into her face. She sucked in a breath when his thumb traced over her lips. "Please," he said softly, "don't cry." The softness in his voice caught her off guard, but she had no time to react.

His lips brushed hers gently, hesitantly and he pulled away slowly. Her eyes snapped open. "Zu—Zuko?" her voice was a whisper.

"Sorry," he said quickly, "I shoul—!"

Before he could turn away she leaned forward and pressed her lips against his, and time stopped.

* * *

**P.S.** Tah-dah! There you go everyone, the much anticipated _first kiss_. Haha, what will happen next?


End file.
